


Million Chains (SeHo)

by Ka_ochiru



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ChanBaek - Freeform, Fanfiction, Fantasy, KaiSoo - Freeform, M/M, OT12 (EXO), OT9 (EXO), SeHo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-02-22 13:50:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 49,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22450609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ka_ochiru/pseuds/Ka_ochiru
Summary: In one night Oh Sehun not only learns about his friends relationship fail aka his ship, but he also accidentally closes a deal with the Devil. Except it's 2020 and the Devil is completely clueless.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun
Comments: 52
Kudos: 109





	1. Ship, which hasn't sailed

Loud screaming could be heard from the apartment, footsteps rushing like there was fire. Well, it wasn't all too far from that actually.

'Sehun, what the hell are you thinking with?! Your ass?' Kyungsoo yelled out at the younger male and quickly pulled out the frying pan his taller friend had managed to shove into the oven. 

Meanwhile, the mentioned male, is all, but guilty. Half-bent he's holding onto the counter-top like his life depends on it, tears of laughter running down his face.

'I told you I'll be able to hide all the vegetables!'

'Doesn't mean you have to fu-'

'Language.'

'Whatever,' the shorter of the two mumbled while rushing through the smoke-filled kitchen, opening the windows completely. Sehun only watched as the male rushed around doing that in every room.

Kyungsoo was a truly interesting male. He earned the roof above his head by being a writer, but not only that - a lot of his works were published in magazines and journals, he was often interviewed and asked on signings. The male himself was around 5'8'' and 6'8'' in his levels of being a pure devil. Everyone felt like shrinking in size by his glare alone. Except Sehun. All he did was ruffle the poor males head, called him 'eggy' and moved about his day like nothing had happened. Kyungsoo rarely ever smiled, at least in public. His face and expressions were like carved in stone. Only around few people did he let his guard down and that adorable heart shaped smile could be seen. Sehun was one of those lucky people that was the said person.

The male himself - Sehun. He was a handful. His emotions were always out there like on a plate - out in the open. Just with one glance at him anyone could easily understand his opinion or view on something. Kyungsoo always said it makes other people manipulate with him easily, but, truth be told, Sehun was smarter than his pouty lips and blush tinted cheeks lead everyone on.

'You're washing the dishes as a punishment,' the shorter rolled his eyes and pulled out the pan, which Sehun had filled with vegetables and hidden in the oven - where Kyungsoo had started to fry their chicken. 'You know because of the smoke from the pan, the chicken is kinda inedible now.'

'Wait, really?'

'It also looks gray-'

Kyungsoo wasn't lying, and for a second the mischievous boy could feel his spirits plopping to the ground with a thud.

'Pizza?' A sigh can be heard from Kyungsoo. Sehun only nods back as an answer to the others question. 'But, you're paying.'

'Sure.'

The sound of slow footsteps indicate that the older male has left and Sehun gets his sleeves up to start washing the dishes. The sink is filled up to the brim with dishes covered in who knows what. Sehun hadn't been home for three days, which had lead into his Hyung living in his apartment, so he could babysit Sehun's beloved dog - Vivi. Of course, Kyungsoo wouldn't leave everything in the perfect tidiness, he always left one place a complete mess as a payment for Sehun bothering his already packed and heavy days. This time the payment were the dishes in the kitchen sink.

While whistling a light tone under his nose, Sehun proceeded with washing the plates, bowls, cups and whatnot, packet in the deep sink. Once he was done with placing everything on the dryer, Kyungsoo came in strolling as well.

'The pizza is on it's way, should be here in five,' the male announced in an upbeat tone. 'What are you doing-' Kyungsoo suddenly mumbled, pushing Sehun aside a little, by bouncing his hip in the side of the younger ones hip. 'You can't put knives with the sharp end up.'

'I don't hurt myself with them, I swear. Otherwise they get stuck in all the forks and spoons.''Not that,' the other sighed as he kept carefully re-arranging the utensils. 'With every knife you place with the sharp end up, a tiny chain, that secures the devil from breaking out of God's imprisonment, gets cut up.'

For a second there was dead silence in the kitchen. The two could hear the ring of the bell outside clearly move through the whole apartment, but no one moved an inch once Sehun broke down laughing till tears were running down his face. It got so bad he could barely wheeze a sound out, crumbling to the ground as he smacked it repeatedly.

'THE ALMIGHTY DO KYUNGSOO BELIEVES IN A KIDS TALE AS FU-'

'Language.'

'MY LANGUAGE WON'T HURT THE ABSENCE OF SENSE IN YOUR MIND.'

'Piss off, Oh Sehun,' Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, drying down his hands in the towel he had taken from the counter top and then throwing it on Sehun's head. He swiftly fished out the younger males wallet from the back-pocket of his jeans as he went to pay for the pizza, Sehun's hysterical laughter still ringing in the background.

It really took Sehun a lot to calm down, he was heavily lightheaded by the time he got up from the floor and decided to make his way to the living room, where the scent of delicious pizza was coming from. The younger was still wiping tears from his eyes, giggling to himself as Kyungsoo's figure on the couch, munching away on a slice of pizza came in view. The male plopped besides the other, taking a slice of his own and taking a bite.

'I really don't get it.' Sehun began once he felt like not tearing up by the thought alone. 'You are the one that usually dismisses sayings like these for plain tales, to scare kids at night.'

Kyungsoo only shrugged his shoulders with another bite following: 'I don't know. This is the only thing my family mentioned, as you know, they don't believe a single saying as well. I didn't 

question it much and just rolled with it.'

'But, still-'

'Oh Sehun, mind your business.'

That's when he shut up, that one line had always been a heavy indicator to stop his little game and just keep quiet. Kyungsoo wasn't a man to mess with and Sehun just so happened to value their friendship to not ruin it for the sake of his childish games.

'Do you want me to drive you home later?' Sehun asked once a few more slices had disappeared from the carton box.

'Yeah, but you'll have to drop me by Chanyeol's house.'

'Oooh,' Sehun curiously moved to his side, wiggling his eyebrows around as he scooted closer to his Hyung. 'Is there something you haven't told me?'

'He wants me to help pick a gift for Baekhyun,' and with that Sehun's face morphed into a frown. The talled jumped back on the couch like struck with lightning.

'Baekhyun? You mean Byun Baekhyun?'

'Same one.'

'Since when?'

'Months, apparently.'

'But, I thought-'

'Look,' Kyungsoo ran his hands over his face in a tired motion, like this had been torturing his mind for far longer than Sehun knew. 'I don't know. I thought, I HOPED, that maybe all those jokes and teasing were a sign he might feel the same way. Tho, in the end it's still Baekhyun.''Is that why you cancelled the interview with him?'

Kyungsoo only nodded back. Suddenly Kyungsoo's open dislike for Baekhyun started to make some sort of sense. Sehun fell back in the couch, shaking his head a little as he tried to put everything together.

'Ditch it. Ignore him.'

'I can't do that, Sehun.'

'Why not?! So, he can throw around all these hints and then just run back to Byun Baekhyun? Hell no, I'm taking you home and not to his place.'

There was no more answer from Kyungsoo. Sehun assumed the other was probably hurting too much to oppose this time. If anything he'd put the blame on Sehun - for his absence - and Chanyeol wouldn't be brave enough to oppose anything anyways.

'Can we go now? I'm tired.'

'Yes, of course,' Sehun was up in a second and already off to the front door to get his car keys and throw a coat around his shoulders.

It didn't take too long for Sehun to drop off the older male at his house and drive back to his apartment. He was still very bummed about the news, since he himself had been there when Park Chanyeol dropped very obvious hints of being interested in Do Kyungsoo, as more than friends.

The world was strange. Sehun rarely ever stumbled into problems like that. He just stayed home with his beloved dog and moved on about his day like any other. Once he unlocked the door to his apartment, switching the lights on he felt a little at ease, knowing that he had nothing to worry about. Especially, when his beautiful boy waddled to him for some pats.

'Let's head to sleep, Vivi,' Sehun mumbled, proceeding to make his way to his bedroom. Once done with getting ready for the night, Sehun, as always, took just a little bit of time to play with Vivi. And, since he had been away for three, almost four days, he felt the need to hug and play with his pet more than ever.

Yet, he had to stop once the light on his nightstand started flickering, till it went out completely. Sehun's brows furrowed together as he stood up grumbling, giving a poor attempt to find the light switch in the pitch black darkness. But, even after flipping it on in hopes of light, the room still stayed in the darkness and eerie silence. Vivi let out a huff, that could be described as a cry as well as an annoyed groan, for this sudden setting meant no more play time.

'It's probably the wind,' Sehun sighed, flipping the switch in it's 'off' state. 'Let's head to sleep Vivi. Tomorrow we have to see what Chanyeol and Toben are both up to, but mainly that overgrown elf.'

_And, his relation to Byun Baekhyun. I leave for 4 days, but everything takes an apocalyptic state in the meantime. My ship sunk in levels Titanic could never._

The male finally - somehow - found his way back to the bed, almost ramming his head into one too many places, running into every possible corner. Tho, once the soft surface of his sheets and blankets engulfed him all around, Sehun knew he had made it through safely.

'Goodnight, Vivi! Let's hope the power gets on back tomorrow!'

Tho, as he saw two, red, glowing eyes staring at him from the doorway, every hair on his body standing up in fight - Oh Sehun knew it had nothing to do with a power shortage.

'Y-You're one of Kyungsoo's kind, aren't you?'


	2. Do you wanna know my name, is that all you wanna take from me?

The light tapping of rain outside echoed very faintly in the dull bedroom of Oh Sehun. The male, however, was sitting up straight in his bed, eyes red and puffy, staring at nothing else, but a frightening figure of a man. He had been staring into those red eyes until the light behind the window chased away the dark as some sort of a warrior sent from the skies above. All nightmares end once the light has appeared, right? That was exactly what Sehun's mind had made up, but with every second, he realized those had been only fairy tales. Even if his current situation was more of a fairy tale. 

'Are you sent here by Kyungsoo?' He whined out, voice almost gone from repeating this question the whole night. Yes, they had this stare-down trough the whole night. 'Look, freak,' the male groaned out, finally having enough and getting up from the bed. With long steps he made it across the bedroom, nearing the intruder without a doubt. From his bed, Sehun hadn't seen much more than those glowing eyes and horns, yet as the light appeared he could make out a pale skin and more red on his intruder. 

'I don't know how much the tiny devil paid you, but you've done your job so get lost.'

Sehun was just a little apart from the other male, he could swear he was able to feel the males breath hit his neck, yet there was no sign of his chest rising. A little alarming, but Sehun wasn't in a state to judge if his eyes were even working at this point. 'What do you want?'

Throughout these torturous hours not a single muscle had moved on the red-haired males face or body, but now his whole lips stretched out in a wretched smile as he tilted his head a little, staring right into Oh Sehun's spoiled soul. 

_'You.'_

'Okay, you're getting on my nerves,' with a mumble under his nose, Sehun grabbed the males upper arm and harshly pushed him back to kindly see him out. Two could play this game and Sehun certainly had more than enough of this show. 'Get lost and tell Kyungsoo he can buy his fault out with steak.'

Not even two steps in Sehun found himself frozen. At first it felt like stepping inside of a light, awfully cold spring, but the numbing feeling continued creeping up his ankles, legs, till the only part he could move around was his neck. Paralyzed in fear, only short breaths fell over the frozen males lips. In a blink of an eye the red-haired male was in front of him, no longer chained by Sehun's frozen grip, of which he had somehow gotten out of.

'My name is Suho,' the man - Suho - leaned up a little and definitely far too close for Sehun's liking, his breath washing over Sehun's chin with the same kind of cold as the sudden feeling that had numbed his body. 'And, you, Oh Sehun, cut the last chain keeping me locked away.'

And, only then, did Sehun remember Kyungsoo's words. This seemed more and more as a prank made by the older. Even if, Sehun was not able to explain the glow in this Suho's red eyes that were staring at him barely inches apart, he could not explain the feeling of drowning in ice-cold water, he could not explain the sudden fear, which arouse in his heart, when Suho gripped his chin between his icy fingers. 

'You humans are even more stupid than you were back then.' Suho's eyes wandered all around Sehun's face as he spoke to the human male, amused to no end.

'What do you want f-'

'I believe I answered.'

The only response Suho received was an eye-roll. He truly shouldn't have expected too much. 

'Fine,' Suho let go of the taller males chin, 'then drown.'

The numbing feeling started creeping up from Sehun's neck to his jaw and chin, where only seconds before a different kind of cold had been planting kisses of death on his skin. He swore he could see mist leaving his lips in lines of indistinguishably morphed figures. 'Please,' the male breathed out with few, last bits of his breath, because the feeling of drowning had been so real he could feel the ice-cold water pouring pass his lips and into his body. Biting, the frost was gnawing over his lungs, tearing open every bit of him in pain that didn't stop growing. 

'What was that?' Suho smirked at the sight of Sehun's eyes rolling back, the feeling of his body completely giving out in his arms. He watched the male crumble down on the floor, maybe feeling a little pity over an introduction like this, but at least he knew he would be taken serious. 

He took Sehun in his arms, standing up with the quite taller male, cradled like a baby. The smirk wasn't falling off of Suho's lips. He now knew another person was tied to him and this one seemed a lot more promising than the ones he had before. Yet, while Oh Sehun was in this unfortunate state, Suho had to look around a little. It had been far too long since he himself had been outside of no other place than the oh-so rumored Hell. Placing Sehun on the bed, Suho carefully observed the still males frozen features, carved and made as if he had been a stone sculpture in Ancient Greece. From all the beings, Suho knew very well that faith was nothing, but a mere coincidence. And, it just so happened, that his newest 'spy' or addition of 'minions', that served him, was nothing, but a mere coincidence. Anyone else could've misplaced a knife and cut the last, strongest chain open just a second or two later. Even a second felt like a century or few down there in the burning chambers of Hell, so he was quite glad for his suffering to end the moment it did and not any later. 

Leaving the poor soul to rest on his bed, Suho exited Sehun's room, watching how his pet immediately ran inside and in the bed, where Sehun was frozen still. Making his way out of the apartment - or so Suho thought - he found himself between the walls of the house he had exited and the back of another one. 

'A back-way of sorts. Smart.' The red-haired demon spoke to himself in a low tone, feeling a cold breeze wash over his skin immediately. It wasn't like weather actually affected him, obviously not, but after being locked up in Hell, where it never stopped burning, it was normal to be used to _Hellish_ heat. The second he made it out from the cover of buildings, unidentifiable, metal box of sorts - _actually_ tens and tens of them - were all swarming and nearly _flying_ right before Suho's nose. The people - oh those foolish souls - were all giving the male _stares_ none of them were scared. No. They seemed genuinely concerned and confused. 

'Foolish morta-'

'Can I take a picture with you?' Suho turned his head to the direction of the voice, being met with three girls, all grinning widely at him, one of them holding a glowing square in her hand. 

'Do you not know, who I am?' He wheezed out, his face once again stretching in a grin, that had made Oh Sehun's breath hitch in his throat. 

'Of course! A cosplayer!'

'A what now-?'

Being it too late, the girls had swarmed him in a second, the glowing box displaying his face and mostly the red eyes, they were all smiling. Only Suho himself was staring right at his reflection, like Hell itself had doomed him. 

'Thank you so much!' The same one chirped out and Suho started to find the voice so unbelievably obnoxious he was ready to squeeze her throat shut. 'Can I tag you?'

'Dare to do whatever and I'll send you right to the depths of Hell. Get lost.'

Out of all things, he really didn't expect them to _laugh_ at _his_ face, even _bow_ and leave him there giggling.

Had he been thrown out in some cruel, parallel universe, where no one knew who he was and didn't fear him? Suddenly feeling very, very confuesed, but mostly exposed, he slowly backed away in the alley, behind the cover of the houses and their enormous backs of safety. He knew that this wasn't something he was able to do alone. No. So, once he found the right door he opened it and _ran_ , back as if fire had caught his feet. 

'OH SEHUN!' 

'Oh my Lord, it wasn't a dream,' Sehun whispered, his feet going cold, face losing all colour as he met the red eyes again.

'Tell me, what have you humans done to _my_ playground?!'

'What do you mean-'

'Don't play around with me, Oh Sehun!' Suho grabbed the males shirt, bringing him closer as he stared at those brown eyes, trembling from fear like a leaf in a storm. 'Why does no one fear me? Why can't they see _who_ I am?! Where is the fear, Oh Sehun?!'

A lump had blocked the young males throat, all words leaving his mind in a second, washed away and lost God knows where. Those red eyes were able to melt the ground beneath Sehun's feet, they were able to tear open every corner of his soul and glance under every layer of a hidden secret. 

'It's 2020, people don't really believe in you, Suho.' Sehun stammered out, finally getting out of the demons grip. His first instinct was to take few steps back at least to mock some sort of a 'safe distance', even if he knew nothing could save him from the red-haired demon. 

'My last spy got lost in the year 1930. he spoke of horses and a war, of new weapons and manufactory. He didn't mention flying boxes, kids that don't fear me, some sort of glowing squares, that capture your own face in a momentum and buildings in the size of Hell's gate.'

'1930 was 90 years ago.'

'I can count.'

'But, you can't understand the basics of human lives,' Sehun smirked. ' _You_ need _me_.'

'It is your duty to guide me through, Oh Sehun.'

'What do I get in return?'

'I'll set you free. I won't torture your emotions and once I've reached my goal I'll set you free.'

'I'm free even now.' Sehun shot back, glancing down on Suho, using height to his advantage to intimidate.

'Up for another drowning lesson?'

Silence. The fear of feeling that cold, that lack of air and ground simply vanishing beneath his feet was as dreading as ever. 

'Thought so,' Suho grinned. 'You will lead me through this new setting and will help me restore my contacts.'

'But, you can't touch anyone important in my life, Suho.'

'You think too highly of yourself, Oh Sehun, you don't matter.'

'That's what they all say.'

'I _am_ the Devil, not all or everyone. Now!' Suho clapped his hands together. 'We have to find an old alliance of mine! That's your task!'

'A name would help?'

'In Hell her name was Area, a demon specialized in curses. Yet, when she left I believe she changed everything about herself.' He took a small pause, before he raised a finger up, mouth forming in a circle as his lips slowly morphed in his signature smirk. 'I believe she goes by Byun Baekhyun these days.'

_'WHAT?!'_


	3. What do you want from a devil like me?

'Chanyeol? Is Byun with you?' Sehun mumbled in the phone, meanwhile, Suho had been poking the back of Sehun's phone case with a very confused and amused facial expression. He had even gasped when Sehun also had presented one of those ' _momentum squares_ ' and ' _what do you mean you're talking with a guy on it? Is he trapped inside? Hell hasn't seen magic like this_ '.

' _He is. Why tho?_ ' Chanyeol asked curiously. ' _For as far as I know you don't exactly fancy him.'_

'It's not me,' the male replied, swatting away Suho's hands from poking the case - which had glitter floating around it - for any longer. The case also held a chibi fanart of his beloved Kyungsoo hyung. Sehun himself could never admit that he kept this gift from one of his hyung's fans, but while he was abroad for performances and auditions, this case had been a very good reminder of his _death-stare hyung, who was actually throwing up rainbows and kittens inside_. Yeah, something like that. 

_'Not you?'_

'No, it's someone, who claims to know Byun. Anyways, we'll be over in few. Till later.' Not waiting for that string of complains that definitely would appear if Sehun had waited only a second longer, he ended the call and turned his attention to the awful, annoying, rude, but otherwise cute looking Devil. 'We need to find something for you to wear.'

Suho's expression was priceless. Lips puckered up in a toddler-like manner, his red eyes flashed bright like sun bathed rubies, somewhat offended at Sehun's statement. He even glanced down at his toned body as of saying: ' _what can POSSIBLY be wrong HERE?_!'

'Humans don't dress that way,' Sehun explained once he caught the pit-pat of Suho's following feet. 'Too bad Hell is so low under you demons don't grow tall there. It's not likely any of my stuff will suit you. Unless!'

'Just because your mother pulled you by your ears to grow doesn't mean I'm short!' The red-haired demon hissed back, crossing his arms upon his chest as his eyes followed Sehun's rapid movements through the different drawers and doors, raiding a section after section.

Suho was quite surprised to the short amount of time - around 10 minutes - in which Sehun had fully adjusted himself to this new fate of his. He didn't think twice about any of his demands or words. Yet, Suho just didn't want to believe Sehun himself wasn't hiding something. And, he wasn't entirely wrong about that either.

'Found it!' The taller male then threw a pair of jeans at the very confused Devil, along with a shirt that would definitely count as over-sized on Suho. Sehun jus couldn't risk ruining some of Kyungsoo's shirts and then receive a scolding, probably topped with few smacks over his back too. 'Wear this and we're good to go. I suppose that your Byun will be quick to realize something is wrong, and since Chanyeol is as weak-willed as a puppy - we don't have the whole day.'

'Done!'

'What-' The second Sehun turned around, Suho was already wearing both items, still somehow having that innocent yet sinister aura around him. And, the hair too. 'We need to do something about your hair.'

'You're not touching my horns! I already had to get rid of the real thing, don't touch my precious, little horns!' With every step Sehun took closer, Suho was swatting the males hands away more energetically. 

'Look! We don't go around like some circus freaks! Those cuts under your eyes will drag enough attention on you as it is,' Sehun sighed.

That seemed to put Suho at bay. His teeth slowly sank in his bottom lip as he mumbled a faint ' _fine, whatever_ '. He had no idea what from his words had brushed against the demons ego, but it had worked and there was a compromise. 

'Come on, let's just wash it out over the sink. I'll help,' Sehun softened his tone, imagining he was talking to a tantrum-throwing kid, which honestly wasn't too far from the reality with the red-haired males non-stop mood swings. He put his hand on Suho's back, guiding him to the bathroom and to the sink. This reminded him of a precious memory of his own, which he cradled in his subconsciousness like a helpless baby. Turning the tap on and grabbing a bottle of shampoo, Sehun motioned for his surprisingly obedient demon companion to bend over. 

'You better be careful,' Suho growled through gritted teeth, throwing a side-eyed, sharp glance like a loose dagger at the human male. 

Sehun only pushed Suho's head under the warm water in response, not sparing any more time for his never-ending objections and threats. Carefully dampening his hair he immediately added some shampoo in the males soft, red hair, washing the signature lavender-scented bubbles and foam out after he had covered Suho's red hair in them throughout. Once the shampoo was all out he casually threw a towel on top of Suho's head 'dry it', were the only instructions he gave. In the meanwhile he went through another rummage session to find his hair dryer, since Kyungsoo had the habit of misplacing all of Sehun's belongings the way he pleased. 

'What is that?' Suho backed away a little once Sehun had made his way back to his side with the weird, shiny thing in his hands.

'It's a hair dryer.'

'What does it do?'

'What does it sound like it does?'

Suho only rolled his eyes in response, plopping down on the chair Sehun had pushed behind his legs for Suho to sit down. His hands were griping the dampened towel between his fingers, stains of red colouring the towel here and there, after the impact with Suho's hair. The demons eyes, however, stayed fixed on the human males figure through the mirror the whole time, closely observing all of his actions. The second Sehun had turned on the fan, Suho jumped up from the chair, swatting it out of Sehun's hands, eyes glowing red like fire in the dead of the night. 

'What in the world are you doing?!' Sehun yelled out, picking up the poor fan that was now discarded on the floor, but hopefully working.

'You tried to _kill_ me!'

'Can you even be killed?!'

'No!'

'Then, where is the damned problem?'

'So, you really tried to kill me, Oh Sehun,' Suho pointed at the males chest, furrowing his brows together as his lips pressed in a thin line. 'You're going to pa-'

'I was trying to dry your hair.' Sehun answered with completely peaceful and nonchalant tone of voice. 'You can't be killed with this.'

The glare stayed on Suho's features as if engraved, staring at Sehun's soul through the reflection in the mirror quite literally. Giving the Devil title, Suho indeed was able to see the humans soul, but very faintly. It was a light blue colour, barely visible, which usually meant that the person would still live a long life. The more the soul came forward, the closer the persons death date was. Needless to say, now that Oh Sehun had a relation to the Devil himself, Suho was surprised to learn this human wouldn't die anytime soon. 

Sehun once more turned on the hair dryer, praying for it to not blow up or something after the impact with the floor. Yet, it was well and working, as well as Suho had only slightly jumped once the buzz of hot air came out of the fan. Sehun carefully styled the red hair down, making sure none of it would fall right into Suho's eyes.

'See, now you look normal.'

'I look like a human.'

'You're _supposed_ to look that way _here_.'

Of course Suho wasn't going to answer that, his pride wouldn't simply let him. 'Are we done here?' Was his reply instead.

The taller of the two nodded, putting the fan away as he walked out of the room and right into the hallway to get his belongings. 'Oh right,' Sehun mumbled to himself, quickly running pass Suho, back in his room and out of it, holding a coat, that would definitely be too big on the shorter male.

'I look ridiculous,' he mumbled while staring at his reflection at the mirror.

'It's cold outside, besides, we'll get you some clothes after we go to see Byun.'

'You mean Arae.'

'She's not Arae for a long time now, Suho. Speaking of which, we'll need you a new name soon too,' he mumbled as he walked over and fixed the coat on Suho's shoulder, mimicking at the worn-down cotton base inside. 

'Like what?'

'Myeon- Junmyeon,' he continued his mumbles. 'Kim Junmyeon.'

'Why not Oh Junmyeon, your last name is Oh.'

'I don't want people to think we're in any way related,' Sehun flashed one of his innocent-angelic smiles at the red-haired demon. 'Let's go.'

Let's say this was the longest ride ever till Chanyeol's place Sehun had ever had. The non-stop questions of 'what this' and 'that' and 'are we in one of those flying boxes as well'. Sehun really wished he could just turn the supernatural chatter box off and get some rest. Not speaking about the fact just a day ago he had returned from his performances abroad, hadn't slept the whole night and now was on his way to Park Chanyeol's with the promise to go shopping later. All running on a single cup of highly caffeinated coffee. Anyone can imagine the sigh of relief that escaped Sehun's lips upon the silhouette of Chanyeol's house. 

'We're here,' Sehun announced and got out right after, only waiting till he saw Suho or Junmyeon get out, so he could lock the door. The speed in which he darted to the door was also something else, tho before he could knock the living soul out of the door, Chanyeol had already opened it. 'Where is he?' 

'You mean Baekhyun?'

'No I mean the Devil, for heavens sake of course I mean Byun!' Sehun yelled back. 'Even tho I have the other too.'

'Maybe explain first and th-'

'Oh for fu- ARAE!' Sehun yelled out once more as he pushed pass Chanyeol, ignoring the load of curses and objections from the over-grown elf. Once met with the seemingly innocent males, puppy-like eyes, Sehun's anger only soared higher. It was the same exact innocence he could see in Suho's eyes and it annoyed him till the core of his whole being. 'I swear to the skies above if you don't take him to the underworld, where you both came from,' he started, the said Devil slowly making his way into the house as well. Only the poor Chanyeol was left confused at the door step, but by the look on his face, Suho had had a go on him as well. 

'Suho!' Baekhyun exclaimed uneasily, immediately rising up from the couch, on which he had been sitting before, and diving on the other side of it. 'Long time no see!'

'I'll make sure to trap you under every goblin I have in Hell, lock under million chains and drop a drop of Holy water over your head every living second of your immortal life, Arae.'

Byun Baekhyun gulped upon the threat, and judging from the look on Suho's face he wasn't exactly kidding either. 'What can you possibly want from me now?'

Suho only smirked, taking a seat on the armchair opposite of the couch, leaning into it like the whole world belong to him. Sehun - again - wasn't exactly sure that couldn't happen. 

'Lead me into this human life. I suppose Oh Sehun can't equip me with everything, so- that is going to be your task and maybe then I'll spare you when I take over. No promises.'

'So, your plan is to take over?'

'Indeed so.'

'And, this Oh Sehun-?'

'He is responsible for setting me free.'

'Oh, poor soul,' Baekhyun threw another smirk at Sehun. 'Seh, let's have a little chat. Yeollie, can you talk with-'

'Junmyeon,' Suho added.

'Junmyeon, in the meanwhile?' Baekhyun finished his sentence and not waiting for an answer, grabbed Sehun's cold hand and dragged him outside. He didn't waste any time once the door had closed behind them. Instead he turned to Sehun with a glare like one of those that almost drowned Sehun when he had met Suho. The despair on Baekhyun's face showed that he had indeed tried to do that. 'Impossible. What did you do?'

'Look, Byun, I am not happy about this as well. He said I cut up the last of his chains by placing a stupid knife with the sharp end up,' Sehun explained. 'He said if I help him, he's going to keep my loved ones well and I'll be free.'

'You don't get it, do you? His plan is to destroy the Earth as we know it. After he's done you'll wish you would have gone down. Even tho- your soul is clean and faint.'

'What does it mean?'

'It's a long story. The only thing I can say is - don't fall for him. Everyone, who falls for the Devil dies, but if the Devil falls for someone - he dies himself.'

'So, do I need to make him fall for me?'

'Oh, Sehun... You are too arrogant.' Byun only laughed, patting the taller males shoulder.

'Try me.' Sehun deadpanned, swatting Baekhyun's hand away. 'I freed him, so I have more luck than anyone else has had up until now.'

Baekhyun smirked. 'Can't deny that. You probably know, I am Arae, the demon of curses. That curse of Suho dying once he meets his love is something I created. I assume we both are in the same position of wanting him gone.'

'What do you offer?'

'There is a part of that curse not even Suho knows, because I created it by an order.'

'From who?'

'It doesn't matter. His name is Keres and he's a spirit. He controls violent deaths and once - by Suho's order - he had to kill his own love. Therefore, he payed me to get rid of Suho. Today he goes by Kai, but that is only filler information that does not make any sense to you. What does make sense is the fact we need to get rid of Suho.'

'You're very good at spilling a shit load of words and confusing the whole deal. The curse, please continue from there-' In all his life, Sehun did not think a mess like this would happen to him. His ship failed, because his friend is snatched by a demon, he himself is tied to the Devil, but there is another demon that wants the Devil dead, and- You can't kill the Devil, how does this even work? There's a loophole, but aren't they noticing it too?!

'Basically, the full curse sounds like this-' Baekhyun cleared his throat.

_'On the night in which Kares' love dies, the Devil will be chained in million chains, one for every day that Kares' heart spends bleeding in sorrow. Only the one, who cuts the last chain is worthy enough to also undo the chain that secures the Devil's heart of catching feelings. Once in love his days will tick out in million seconds and he shall watch his love forget him from the depths of Hell, once again carved in million chains that no one will undo.'_

'That's harsh-'

'You don't mess with demons, Oh Sehun.'

'You do realize he will indeed fall for me, because that is in the curse.'

'So what? Not like it will hurt you, just look at what he has done up until now!'

'Yeah, right-'

But, Byun Baekhyun knew that the human nature wasn't built this way and he was about to watch two souls rip apart. 


	4. Can you see this disguise? I'm different inside

'What about this?'

'Dear Lord, Suho, that shirt looks on you the same as the last one. Just lets take them all and go _home_. I am barely even capable to keep my eyes open,' Sehun whined out like thousand desperate kids also rang through him in his voice. Anyone, who passed them could feel the pure despair that was pouring over in Oh Sehun's tone. 

'Just drink more coffee and we're good to go!' Suho - or Junmyeon - whined back, mimicking the taller males posture and voice tone. He really took this 'just look at what I do and you'll blend right in' too far, but Sehun really couldn't do much about it.

'Look,' and Suho widened his eyes, 'not literally.'

'What?'

'Heavens!' Completely annoyed Sehun covered his face with his hands, dragging them over his sharp-sculpted features with the most painful groan ever. Yet, when he looked over at the bothersome demon again, his red-haired companion was nowhere in sight. 'Great, where did he go now?' A glimpse of the red head helped Sehun distinguish his whereabouts - behind the changing room curtain, under the pile of clothes. 'Suho, what are you doing?'

'Quiet! They'll hear me.'

Again, Sehun could only heave a painful sigh. 'Who?'

'Heavens!' Suho suddenly popped out between the layers of fabric. 'You said it yourself!'

Sehun stopped answering. Silence covered them both like a thick layer of water, drowning not only the sound, but every remaining peck of Sehun's patience. His hands stretched out to grab the pile of clothes covering the obnoxious demons frame and set off to pay for them.

'Wait, Oh Sehun!' 

'Look, you pest,' taking a sharp turn on his heel Sehun was met eye-to-eye with the red, glowing eyes that scared him senseless just 24 hours ago. Now he couldn't stand the bare sight of them and all that he, Oh Sehun, could think of was getting rid of the Devil, that had leaped on his shoulders like a child, which Sehun definitely didn't want nor asked for. 'First of all no Heaven can get you here. Secondly, if you don't hurry the Hell up I will leave you in the changing stall and leave you to _rot_. I haven't slept for 2 days and you keep dragging me from one corner of Seoul to another, when it should be _me_ dragging _you._ You are the helpless demon, that knows _nothing_ about Earth, so either you start acting according to your species or I'm taking you to church and drowning in Holy water.'

Turning on his heel once again, the taller male now set to the counter to pay. Yet, the demon, that was left watching Sehun's vanishing back, could only plop back on the hard seat in the changing stall. Something felt very wrong about the way the human had snapped at him. Of course, he didn't expect for a human to be brave enough to snap at him. He is the Devil after all and Oh Sehun knew it clear and well. However, the out-lash, which had covered Suho's entire being from head-to-toe, inside-out, had been something he never even imagined to hear. Closing the curtain to the changing room, Suho took some time to process the words Sehun had thrown at him. Comparing his appearance and current actions even he himself could admit he had softened down. What scared him was the fact that it had been only two days and he was already so used to Oh Sehun.

'Nonsense,' Suho mumbled, running his hands over his face, only to look right in his own burning eyes once his fingers had uncovered his eyes. A light wince shook his whole body, when his fingers ran over the cuts under his eyes. They didn't bleed or tear open more, no, but they were forever there, they would never heal. A part of him came to Earth just because he wanted to meet that person, who shared his curse. So, those cuts under his eyes were actually quite the symbolism. To see his loved one, who would set him free, he has to see through pain. 

Suho stood up from the wooden chair and took the step that separated him from the mirror on the wall. He stared right in his own eyes, seeing the reflection of Hell in them as he looked deeper. Cruel. Cruel, that he was supposed to call that place home, while two of his 'brothers' roamed Heaven and Earth with three to basically none restrictions. 

'Hey, what's taking so long, Junmyeon?' Sehun's voice came as a savior-angel (quite the irony). To save and drag Suho from his own menacing thoughts. They could eat him up whole in mere seconds, if he allowed the parasite of doubt and anger habit his consciousness for long enough, till it had made itself at home and claimed a part of Suho's sanity. 

Quickly dropping the sweater, which Sehun had provided to him before, over his head, Junmyeon - or Suho - stepped out from the changing stall at last. It still felt weird to hear Sehun call him this human name. Junmyeon. Kim Junmyeon. How should he even react? There definitely was an urgent need to meet Arae or Byun Baekhyun. 

'Here.'

'Great. These are yours,' Sehun pressed the paper bag, filled with various, colourful fabrics into Suho's arms. 'I picked a few things on my way to the check-out. Are you hungry?'

'I don't know if I need food.'

'What do you mean?'

'Arae never mentioned if she feels the need to consume basic human food. I currently cannot tell either.'

With a roll of his eyes, Sehun fished out his phone from the pocket of his black jeans and quickly dialed Chanyeol's number. After few rings someone picked the phone up on the other end.

'Sehun?' The voice belonged to Baekhyun. Great, less trouble.

'Yeap, that's me.'

'What's up already?'

'Do you demons need to eat? I need sleep in the nearest 3-4h and judging by the exhaustion levels I won't wake up for good 17h, so I need to feed my new pet. Otherwise he won't leave me alone and I can bid goodbye to sleep.'

'Sehun,' Byun's voice was now hushed down, 'if you want to move forward with our plan you cannot act like an absolute asshole. Just pretend to like him, so you'll get rid of him quicker.'

'Right.'

'Anyways, he _does_ need to eat. True he needs it less than normal humans like you and he lasts for longer with a full meal.'

'Can I drop him at your place one day? He needs to learn things and I don't know how to best explain these things to him. You also arrived here like a blank page,' the humans tone was truly desperate. 

'Sehun-'

'Byun, please.'

'Fine, but not tomorrow. I'll call you, when I have a free day.'

'Bless you.'

'I literally curse people.'

'Still, bless you.' 

Once Sehun ended the call his eyes fell back on the devil, who wasn't looking at him anymore, but rather at a spot a little before his own feet.

'Come on,' Sehun's voice was a bit softer now. It was like a day to night experience, but so alluring Suho had looked up immediately after the slight voice change. 'Let's get food and then get home. I don't know if you need rest, but I do.'

The only answer that came forward was a nodding motion of Suho's red head and off they were. In the mall there was a small ramen shop, which Sehun had favoured a long time ago. So, that's where they went. It was a usual procedure for Sehun, just that now there was this red-haired being trailing behind him, staring at just about anything and _'no, Junmyeon, don't touch it, it is not okay to touch everything around you'_ every now and then. Once they took a seat (at the very back to ensure none of Suho's weirdness could draw unwanted attention), Sehun already felt as if in some sort of a safety island. He even did as much as get up and get the menus himself, since he didn't want to risk a waiter getting drowned right off the bat. 

'Can you read?' Sehun's tone was quiet again as he handed Suho his own menu and sat back. 

'Yes, I am not _that_ helpless.' The two fell in silence again. 'None of this makes sense to me. I don't even know what half of these things are.'

'I'll order for us both then; do you trust me with that?'

'I won't die of poison anyways, so I don't care.'

'They wouldn't poison you even if I asked,' the male rolled his eyes and closed his menu, putting it on top of Suho's already closed one. Once a waiter came along, Sehun ordered two bowls of usual ramen and also two lunch boxes. He was going to feed the pure-looking being on the opposite side of the table to the brim. Just so he could finally get his sleep. Only when the waiter left did Sehun actually exhale relieved. 

His eyes had stayed on Suho's the entire time, trying to read any move from the said person. However, his companion had also stayed perfectly still in his position, staring back at Sehun with the same intensity if not even worse one. The human put it off as Suho taking in consideration his warning and was trying to follow what Sehun did.

But, that wasn't quite the case.

Through Suho's head there were thousand thoughts flying through each second.

_'I cannot see his sins. Every person has at least one sin per life, be it a small lie or a killed spider - everyone has it. I cannot see a single one when I look into Oh Sehun's eyes,'_ Suho thought to himself. He took this moment to stare right into the males eyes, see every unexplored corner behind them. Even ones Oh Sehun himself had no idea existed. _'Yet there is nothing. It is blank and it feels like I am standing in a void. Absent of light and darkness. It just exists and I am simply drifting through it. Fathomless.'_

Their stare-down lasted through the whole time their food was getting ready. Sehun really had no idea what had gotten into Suho, while the Devil himself had no idea ,what it was that had gotten into Sehun, which blocked his abilities to tell apart the humans sins. It was tearing his sanity apart. As someone, who is feared by both those, who believe and those who claim to not, by those who worship him and those who blame his believers, he was now met with a dilemma in the form of a 6'0'' tall human being. Even if no words were being spoken, Suho could very well tell the human was confused and a little ridiculed. That's how easy it was for anyone to read Oh Sehun.

Once their food was brought to their table, the two of them still stayed in complete silence. Sehun was very surprised over the fact Suho himself figured how to use chopsticks. The demon hadn't even looked at him to figure it out, so he assumed he must have had a reason to learn it before. When they were done, Sehun also went ahead and payed before the waitress returned, he really did not want any human soul to face the pain of dealing with Suho's burning gaze alone. 

'Buckle your seat belt,' Sehun noted once they were back in his car, surrounded by the metal walls and no more gazes because of Suho's bright, red hair.

'I can't di-'

'But I can get a ticket for you not following basic rules.'

That was enough to shut the demon up and get him twiddling with the belt. Sehun sighed once more, leaning over to grab Suho's seat belt. 'Like this, you pull it,' and he did the motion. 'Then just press in here. And, you're done!' He then sent Suho one of his signature angelic smiles, he just hoped this one came off more genuine. Sehun really had to keep it in his mind that his goal was to fool this demon into more than a simple companionship. 

Once back in the apartment, Sehun almost _ran_ to his bed, only taking off the coat and his shoes, which were all abandoned on the floor by the doorstep.

'Don't touch me, don't talk to me, don't look at me and don't breathe towards me, Suho,' he yelled after himself. 'The same goes to your contact with Vivi.'

Suho could NOT explain the feeling in his chest that appeared there as he watched Oh Sehun's back yell all these things at him. Was it really? _Hurt. Offended._ But, for what?! 

The Devil shook his head a few times, grabbing it with his hands as he _pulled_ on his hair. _'He's human. He's nothing. He's temporary. But, what if he is the one I am supposed to see through pain? No.'_

His eyes once again fell on the males back, which was now rising and falling with peaceful inhales and exhales. It was a strange sensation of peace. Suho sat down by the couch, on the floor. His back against the back of the couch he kept his eyes on the humans back. Even when Sehun turned around and his closed eyes were now facing the demon. He felt _strange_. As if Oh Sehun would be observing him through his shut eyelids. And, Suho wasn't able to pray his eyes away either. It all ended when he heard three knocks at the door. Tho, Suho decided to ignore them. He could not wake Sehun up. 

'Sehun!' A voice cried through. 'It's me - Kyungsoo!'

Suho however knew how important this 'hyung' was to Sehun. Biting down his bottom lip the red-haired being stoop up and carefully approached Sehun's soundly sleeping form.

'Oh Sehun,' he softly shook the males shoulder and watched as his brows knitted together in a frown.

Sehun's dark eyes shot open, glaring daggers at Suho. 'I think I ing told you!'

_Crap._


	5. The weight of the World is getting harder to hold

With the noise of glass sliding over polished wood, a glass of water was passed from one side of an kitchen island to another. Followed by a shaky hand grabbing it and pulling it to owners plump lips. 

'So, tell me exactly-'

'I told you,' Kyungsoo cried out, placing the now half-empty glass of water down with a thud. He looked right into Sehun's eyes, his own ones having that obnoxious veil of tears blur his vision. ' _I don't know._ '

'Nonsense,' Suho scoffed, 'there must be something. Then at least start from the beginning.'

'Who the fuck is he?' Kyungsoo yelled out, his eyes boring holes of both confusion and hurt right through Suho's skull.

'You're not going to believe me anyways,' the youngest of the three mumbled, his eyes immediately falling on his fingers, observing them twirl around.

Kyungsoo put the glass to his lips again, taking a greedy sip of the cold, tap water. 'Try me.'

'He's the Devil.'

The older males mouth hung agape. His dark eyes, shielded by the rim of his black glasses, first traveled from Sehun's face overall to his eyes, then to Suho's eyes. How did he not notice the unnatural glowing red in the males eyes before? The red that so closely resembled fire. One that was powerful and destroying, unforgiving. 

'The chains,' Kyungsoo mumbled absent-minded. 'You broke the chains with those stupid knives! Oh Sehun!'

'Look, I didn't even know!' It was Sehun's turn to yell back. Kyungsoo had hopped right off the stool, nearing his dongsaeng of destruction with quick steps. 'Hyung, I swear!'

'I can't believe. It was _you_ , who I had to protect all this time. Right in front of my eyes and now-' the males eyes wandered back to the red-haired being in the kitchen of Oh Sehun's apartment. 'Heavens.'

Suho's eyes uneasily looked up to the ceiling as his form visibly crouched a little. Only after few seconds of absolute silence and absence of _anything_ , did he straighten back out and look back at the two humans.

There was a heavy sigh from Kyungsoo as he went back to his stool and sat back on it. Sehun felt like there were so many things running through his Hyung's head he himself had no idea where to start. Not once in his life had he seen Kyungsoo in a state like this. Really. Oh Sehun was used to his Hyung being wise and a very quick thinker. Even if the male was only a little older, he felt like a teacher, but one that would teach about life. 

'Wait, what do you mean _protect?_ '

The tone with which Suho spoke sent shivers down both Sehun's and Kyungsoo's spine. Ice cold, like a shower of numbing, cold water than stings every inch of your body, but burns at the same time like the worst fire. His steps neared the two humans, and Sehun swears he had no idea _how_ , but his hair was morphing back into those two horns. Sehun's first instinct was to push Kyungsoo behind his own back. 

'Don't say anything,' he whispered to the head-shorter male. 

'Sehun, you don't understand-'

'Explain to me _right now_ , what do you mean _protect, Do Kyungsoo_?!'

'Suho,' Sehun took a step towards the Devil. Even tho the red-haired beings eyes were still staring pass him, eyes dead-sharp on Kyungsoo. 'Look at me.' Yet, it didn't get the Devil's attention enough. Quite the opposite, another step was what Suho took forward. Now all that separated them were Sehun's hands, which he had extended and pressed against Suho's chest to keep him away. Suho slowly looked down, his eyes meeting the hands, which were firmly pressed against his chest, his gaze traveled up Sehun's arms and he could swear he _felt_ the way the demons gaze crawled up. It was like tiny stings of ice were gnawing his skin till that sting went over his lips and then was met right with his eyes. 

'Oh Sehun, take your hands away this instant,' Suho's pushed the words pass his lips on a level of a whisper. 

'Suho, calm down please.'

' _You_ don't know what this is about, Oh Sehun! You have _no_ idea!'

'Maybe, but I ask you to calm down. Please-'

'No.'

'Let's go to my room then.'

'What?'

'It's clear you aren't going to talk like this. Let's go somewhere, where you can't see him.'

The fear this demon, who had already ruined so unbelievably much, could come and harm Sehun's Hyung too put him under so much anger. He was not going to let it happen and if it meant playing this stupid game that he and Byun Baekhyun had agreed on to make that stupid prophecy come true - he would do anything. He took Suho's hand in his, dragging the male to his room with no words in between them, neither did he say a word to Kyungsoo. Something told him everyone knew what was going on, except for him. And, he was the main character in this mess, yet it was all so unclear he had no idea, of what to do next. The second the door was between Sehun's grim gaze and the worried gaze of Do Kyungsoo he already felt trapped. Like there wasn't enough air in the room and it was drowning with Suho's presence alone. When he turned around away from the door, Suho was still only a step away from him, staring at him with a gaze that read 'be quick or no power in the world will hold me here for any longer'. And, it scared Sehun. It scared him like storms scare sailors at the dead of the night, it scared him like kids were scared of the dark and it scared him like believers were scared of the Devil.

'What is it about?' He slowly asked, trying to walk around the red-haired male, but the others gaze was following him nevertheless and it made him stop dead in his tracks. 'What is the problem with Kyungsoo-hyung?'

'He is a human that has the duty of protecting the key.'

'What key?'

'Not a literal key. Rather,' Suho took a step forward. 'Protecting the person, who would set me free. He was born in a family that bares these secrets through centuries and generations. For example: _'With every knife you place with the sharp end up, a tiny chain, that secures the devil from breaking out of God's imprisonment, gets cut up'_.' 

Sehun could swear his whole world was swirled in a mix as those words left Suho's lips.

'So, he _knew_?'

'He didn't know it was you, but he should've gotten the hints. Things that have happened from time to time.' Suho explained, another step was taken forward and now it was just some imaginary, transparent wall that didn't let them get any closer than that. 'It's useless to try and stop the inevitable. It's the same as stopping the sun from rising when another morning comes around. Just because he didn't notice it doesn't mean he has failed. This was _supposed_ to happen. I was _meant_ to be set free, but you - Oh Sehun - had to be the one, who sets me free. It's in the stars and it cannot be changed.'

All the younger male could do was gulp. He only now had noticed the absence of distance between them. And, even tho, Suho was shorter quite enough, his gaze was strong enough to make that distance vanish too. His eyes were still burning that bright red, except Sehun could've sworn he saw and entire world behind them. One that didn't drown in water, like Suho frequently liked to punish the ones, who stood in his way, but drowning in agony and the never ending fire. He had no idea if that was supposed to purge the sins and make the sinners holy, but it looked far worse than simple death could ever be. 

'But, I set you free,' he began, 'why can't I just move on with my life.'

Sehun knew why. There was still a part of the curse, which Baekhyun - or Arae - cast, and had yet to be fulfilled. 

'I could say there is no need for me to still hold onto you, but if you were worthy enough to free me - there has to be something more about it. And, because of that,' Suho raised his hands up, cupping Sehun's face in his hands gently, stared right up in his dark eyes, 'I have to keep you safe and under my _wing_.'

This wasn't _that_ kind of frozen. There was no pain, no cold or intense feeling of drowning that suddenly made Oh Sehun freeze. His breath was stuck in his lungs, not ever exhaled properly and his eyes were stuck on Suho's glaring red ones. Yet, the touch, in which Suho held him felt softer than anything before. Like a sickish, sweet scent of decaying flowers that was both uncontrollably awful yet captivating, Sehun was engulfed by two warm hands. 

'The second you set me free you signed a contract to be mine. And, no one will care that it wasn't your choice, because fate decided so and no one messes with it, Oh Sehun.'

He leaned up a little and usually Sehun would have made it his point to tease Suho for the need to stand on his tip-toes, but right now, as the Devils lips were nearing his ear, brushing pass his neck and washing hot breaths all over his sensitive skin - he couldn't think of anything else, but the fact it felt so...

_Right._

'So, if I crave any earthly, humanly need, want or call it activity,' he pulled away from the other completely, 'you're going to be the one to take care of that, Oh Sehun. Now, Kyungsoo is waiting for us. You need sleep, so lets not make him wait for any longer.'

'Yes,' was all Sehun could mutter, turning around on his heel to walk to the door. At first he didn't even notice the worried gaze from his Hyung, he couldn't hear a single word that he said not even register how he was back at the kitchen island and on his stool. 

'Sehun,' Kyungsoo grabbed the younger ones upper arm and shook it lightly, 'talk to me.'

'I'm in deep shit,' was all he could mutter.

'I know.' Kyungsoo sighed. 'I haven't even told you what happened.'

'What did?'

'Chanyeol called and I went over, of course, Byun Baekhyun was there, but it doesn't matter. Someone else does.' Sehun looked up from the table. The conversation had even caught Suho's attention as he made his way to Sehun's right side and stood there, listening intently. 'As Chanyeol took me to the living room, where Baekhyun was talking with someone, that someone saw me and next thing I knew he had _kissed_ me. He was calling me some weird name, tears streaming down his cheeks and-'

'What name did he call you?' Suho suddenly asked, interrupting the very un-detailed explanation. 

'Kratos?'

'Like the Greek God of strength and power?' Sehun suddenly butted in too, as if suddenly regaining his voice.

'That was Kares,' Suho mumbled, suddenly taking the same expression Sehun had had before.

'Kai?' Sehun asked and received a nod back from Suho.

'That means Kyungsoo is his lover I killed-'

_'On the night in which Kares' love dies, the Devil will be chained in million chains, one for every day that Kares' heart spends bleeding in sorrow. Only the one, who cuts the last chain is worthy enough to also undo the chain that secures the Devil's heart of catching feelings. Once in love his days will tick out in million seconds and he shall watch his love forget him from the depths of Hell, once again carved in million chains that no one will undo.'_

And, never before had Byun Baekhyun's words rang so clear in Sehun's had. But, did it mean the curse was broken, if Kyungsoo really was his lost lover? Or, was there now no more way out?

'Kyungsoo, we both are doomed now.'

_'I know.'_


	6. Blind to all of the signs - the world never wanted me

'Tell me, exactly,' Sehun breathed out, trying to catch up with his death-stare Hyung, while carrying _both_ of their belongings on his back. 'Junmyeon, _please_ , don't stay behind!'

'Oh Sehun, you don't understand,' the demon replied, easily jogging up the stairs to catch up with the two humans. 'That thing could - _f l y._ '

'You will fly too if I push you down these damned stairs,' he grumbled under his nose, pulling on the damned suitcase, that felt like filled with couple of enormous rocks. Sehun could bet his stupid devil-human deal, that Kyungsoo had put too much crap in that suitcase just to torture Sehun. 

'I heard that, Oh Sehun.'

_'I heard that, Oh Sehun,'_ he mimicked back, earning a gesture of a fist almost straight to his face. 

Kyungsoo stopped dead in his tracks and both of the overgrown toddlers almost stumbled back down the set of stairs. 

The male then glanced back at the two over his shoulder. Sehun could swear he saw an evil gleam cross over Kyungsoo's eyes with a shine. 'If you both don't shut up this instant I'll fly you both down.'

The trouble-couple only glance back and forward between themselves, finally falling into silence, where they kept throwing curses at each other via thoughts. For a second Suho really did think of getting into Sehun's thoughts, but he figured the other would actually push him down and back to Hell - somehow - if he felt his thoughts being spied on. And, he definitely did not plan on going back to the box microwave come alive, also called Hell. 

'I don't understand, why didn't you leave him with Baekhyun?! It would be a perfect day for him to learn something from that other thing.' Kyungsoo suddenly started talking, sparking up both of their attentions. 

'Arae,' Suho started.

'Baekhyun,' Sehun immediately corrected the demon, who still refused to call his fellow beings by their, now, human names.

'Whatever, he is busy today.'

'He said he and Chanyeol are both out,' Sehun continued. At the mention of the tall, elf-eared, human being, Kyungsoo's fists balled up till his knuckles went white, bones popping out with sharp corners. This, of course, didn't go unnoticed to Sehun, only Suho threw the taller human a questioning gaze, pointing to his own knuckles and mouthing Sehun a hushed _'what happened'_. The only reply Suho received was a sigh. Sehun really felt like tearing his ex-friend to bits. He was very thankful for knowing Chanyeol, he even partly met Kyungsoo only because of Chanyeol, but now- He really couldn't stand the simple idea of the other. He _knew_ that the giant indeed had a thing going on for the death-stare Hyung, even before his sudden fame as a writer and mentor. They had _talked_ about this, but now he was clueless. How could have he just so suddenly changed and gained feelings for Byun Baekhyun?

'Arae,' Suho started quietly, glancing up at Kyungsoo to make sure he didn't hear, 'probably did something to your friend. That Chainoil.'

At first Sehun threw a panicked gaze at Kyungsoo, scared to see what the reaction could be. 'He can't hear us,' Suho immediately said. 'It's a spell. Only you and me can hear each other for now.'

'It's Chanyeol,' Sehun corrected.

'Human names are hard to pronounce.' Suho was very quick to dismiss the correction as of saying _'I don't have time for this'._ 'Bacon has the ability to make people fall for him. At least I know he did this to humans back in the day as Arae. She had some truly admirable skill and that- Chanwhatever is exactly her type.'

'Baekhyun.'

'I really don't care, Oh Sehun. I'm trying to help you here.'

'What do you think I am going to do now with this piece of information? I am kinda helpless here.' Sehun sighed, pulling the handle of the suitcase once more, yet he was so tired he barely could.

As of noticing the sudden struggle, Suho took the suitcase and lifted it up with ease. 

'He probably knows this, Cha-'

'Just call him - Yeol.'

'Yeol, he probably knows it, because he feels it. Love doesn't disappear in thin air, but while Bake is there, he cannot speak of it.' 

'Baek.'

'Baek's curses can be... more than curses, you see.' Suho sighed, trying to ignore the remark of his struggles with pronunciation. 'He could have, for example, done something like - once Yeol meets my eyes he's going to want me or fall in love, be it real or not, _he will be mine_.'

'So, whatever that is between them, could be fake?'

Suho only nodded. 'I have to tell this to Hyung.'

'Not now. Right now is not a good time for things like these, wait a little, Oh Sehun.'

He didn't know why he really felt like listening to Suho this time. He just, felt like the demon somehow had a better understanding about emotions than Sehun had ever had. And, he knew his Kyungsoo for so long already. 

'We're here,' Kyungsoo announced from the front as he knocked on a door.

'Why didn't we use the elevator again?' Sehun wheezed out, stretching out his back with a pained expression. 

'To make you realize if you misbehave again there are consequences. Now keep quiet, my aunt has the ears of a-'

'Kyungsoo!'

'Hey!' He smiled as he hugged his aunt, who was visibly an elder woman with a very classic style of clothing and big, round glasses balanced on the bridge of her nose. The big doe eyes behind them, who ran over both Sehun and Suho, resembled Kyungsoo's dark eyes. It was probably something that just ran through the Do family. 'I brought guests.'

There seemed to happen an exchange of words through glances. Quiet, but not unnoticed by the two other people. Especially when it came to the red-haired one.

'Oh, Kyungsoo...' she then dragged out with a little, what seemed to be, pained expression. 'Come in everyone, you too, Devil.'

'It's Junmyeon.' He corrected. 

No answer followed his correction, only the three of them getting inside the apartment. The first thing that Sehun noticed were the rows and rows of different, both, dried and alive, plants and herbs dangling down from the ceiling in different shades of green. Few of the green strings and leaves hid different coloured flowers, washing waves of sickish sweet and strong scents every now and then. 

'Sit, sit,' Sehun heard her voice flow from the room before him. Once he entered there were just as many greens, but this time the plants held a lot more of those colourful flowers. Taking a glance back at Suho, Sehun noticed how uneasy and uncomfortable he looked. His gaze kept darting from one corner to another, not finding peace in any of them. Only when his eyes fell on the taller human did he relax a little. Without a notice, his hair had morphed back into those two horns, that Sehun had spent the entire morning on taming. 

Kyungsoo sat before the trouble-couple, eyes full with apology as he opened his mouth to speak. 

'I didn't know it was him and I failed,' was all that Kyungsoo's hushed voice said in the dead silence of the room.

'I see that,' his aunt answered, leaning back in the armchair she had taken place on. 'Why did you bring them here tho? You should've reported to your father right away.'

'I want to talk about this,' he began.

'Kyungsoo, there are _NO_ negotiations when it comes to _this_.' She cut him immediately. Her eyes were only sharp on Sehun. They occasionally moved to glance at Kyungsoo, but Suho was as good as invisible for her.

'You don't understand-'

The rest Sehun couldn't hear. He could not explain this sudden feeling in his chest. It was starting as low fire in the pit of his stomach, but the more the woman spoke the more it sparked till his whole chest was burning with hatered. He could only think of the fact he wanted to hide Suho behind himself and away from her presence and cursed, dark eyes that seemed to drag out emotions from the pit of his whole being. 

'Oh Sehun,' he looked up, but noticed that it was only her and him in the room now. Kyungsoo and Suho were both gone. He did not even remember when they had exited, only vaguely his eyes had caught the demons gaze, which spoke incomprehensible words to him. 'I need to hear, why we should keep this recent change of events a secret.'

'Because he's cursed.'

'Excuse me?'

'Suho is cursed. If he falls for me, starting from the day he does, he has million seconds before he goes back to Hell.' He explained quickly, not enjoying her company even the slightest bit.

'And, what if he doesn't?'

'He will.'

'How are you so sure?'

'I have my reasons.' With every sentence he spoke his tone rose in volume a little by little.

'Then explain them.'

'Those are _my_ reasons.'

The room fell into complete silence. The only noise was the faint ticking of the clock, which was hanged right above her head. It was all black and there were no sign of any numbers, only silver-gleaming lines freely ticking above invisible seconds. It just seemed like the plants were growing in size by every tick of the clock, in an attempt to scare Sehun, but he was not moved even by an inch and it seemed to bring lines of displease in the woman's forehead. Just as he thought the plants are going to start whispering words of witchcraft in his mind the door swung open and two, red-glowing eyes found his resembling two lights from a lighthouse, stretching the light beams towards the shore in the dead of the night. A sigh of relief left Sehun's lips as the plants started shrinking back with every step Suho took in the room. Kyungsoo's head was low as he entered the room. Both, he and Sehun felt like their mission to talk was now a failure. 

'Very well,' his aunt spoke, 'I will keep shut. Now, if you'll excuse me it is time for me to water my plants and I need absolute silence for that.' The smile on her lips was faker than the politeness with which Suho carried himself around these humans. 'I trust your plan, Sehun, and your reasons. So, you better not let me down.'

'Thank you,' was all he said before he got up and pushed Suho right out of the room. Kyungsoo kept behind them.

Once they were out in the small corridor, Suho yanked his shoulders out of Sehun's hold with a low growl.

_'What did that witch tell you?!'_

Every single hair on Sehun's body stood up once he heard the males tone. _Now_ he understood the term Devil, because whatever was speaking to him now was nowhere near human. Suho's teeth had morphed into something that looked like fangs and his eyes were _burning_ red, between the whirls of red horns, there were actual, _real_ horns slowly poking out of his forehead as lines of glowing red stretched all across his face. The step back, that Sehun instinctively took, seemed to not even lessen the distance. 

'Suho-'

_'Answer me, Oh Sehun!'_

'Suho, I'm scared-'

He doesn't know why, but Suho's eyes widened into almost a comical size, and Sehun would have laughed, if he wasn't scared till grey hair. He could barely stand, the feeling of weakness creeping into his knees as a painful ring suddenly dashed from his left to right ear. He was frozen with fear. There wasn't an inch of the Suho he knew on the being in front of him. The lines over his face started fading down and the horns slowly disappeared as well. Only Oh Sehun couldn't regain himself anymore. His knees bucked in as he fell forwards and his eyes refused to hold open for any longer. But, he for sure knew it wasn't because of Suho. He had seen his Devil nature and even if he was scared, nothing would make him pass out. The scents, the greens they suddenly became dull and he knew, it was no one else's, but Kyungsoo's aunts fault. He could almost hear her voice ring in his head _'you're a fool for not seeing his Devil nature'_. Before he could collide with the ground, two arms wrapped around him and a soft voice rang right in his ear, warm breath washing over his cheek in almost a feather-light, ticklish manner.

_'I got you and I'm not letting you go, Oh Sehun.'_

For a second there was darkness, but he could feel the warmth that without a doubt belonged to Suho. For a second he was drifting into darkness with the fear tearing open every corner of his soul and sliding it's wretched fingers to tear open infected wounds of paranoia.

_'I'm sorry,'_ his soft voice rang through and eased the darkness. _'I ask only this once,'_

His warmth chased away the fear and paranoia. 

_'Depend and lean on me. I won't let you fall.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe I've never really talked here to anyone, h e h  
> Anyways, I wanted to say a big, big thank you to the people who have left a kudos or commented on this 'book'. It really makes me happy to see some feedback from readers and the motivation just spikes up with it. So, really, thank you everyone. I hope you enjoy this fanfic and will continue enjoying it, because I am having a ton of fun writing it.   
> -Ka_ochiru


	7. Three cheers for the bittersweet beginnings

It was like circus come to life and Suho was the watchman of the rare exhibition. Sehun was the exhibition and, anyone, who tried to approach him or even breathe in the same room as him, was the intruder. Not like anyone else except Kyungsoo had tried to get inside. Of course, Suho was currently in a very huge hate state towards Sehun's Hyung. After all, it was his aunt, who was at fault. Suho didn't cancel his own fault in it. Not at all. He knew exactly, how he was. He had felt the dread, the confusion and bare fright settle in Sehun's mind like a thick woolen blanket to shield any light of reasoning from entering, when Suho's form had shifted. _Demon, demon, demon_ ; was all that had ran through Sehun's mind. Usually Suho was very proud of his species. It was the strongest being out there, one that could play with any and every human life, shifting it from one palm to another, pretending to drop it and at the same time view it as nothing more, but raw egg yolk. He couldn't touch Sehun's life. If he even touched the humans soul with one finger it felt like electricity started buzzing through him, awakening feelings inside him he ought to not know. He made him human and for the Devil; nothing could be more disgusting. 

'Suho?'

Not Junmyeon or ' _you_ ', but Suho. It made whatever thoughts, that occupied Suho's mind and jumped from one sector of his brain, trashing it up with pure evil and agony to another, simply disappear. The softest he could, Suho sat on the side of Sehun's bed, looking over at the humans half-lidded eyes with his comically sized red ones, peering down at him like his eyes were camera lenses waiting for a new _something_ to happen and capture.

'I'm here,' instead, he quietly mouthed. And, even then, his voice appeared so disturbingly loud against the dead silence of the room and soft ticking of the clock on Sehun's nightstand. Suho was sure the human would have preferred an electronic one.

'What happened?' Sehun's eyes were now, more or less, wide open as he discreetly stared up at the Devil, asking for answers.

Suho swallowed hard, for a moment looking away, almost like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have. Even then, he was the Devil, and he could do anything he wanted to. Only Oh Sehun made him feel different.

'We assumed it was lack of rest and all the plants and something Kyungsoo's aunt did,' he finally mumbled an answer, avoiding the humans gaze every now and then, but really doing his best, to remain the eye contact. 

'And?'

'And...' Suho sighed, 'I scared you.'

There was something so genuine in Suho's tone, that it made a small smile shift on Sehun's lips. Suho jumped in his place when warm fingers, a warm palm, a little winder and bigger than his own one loomed over his. Those ruby-alike shining eyes now stared at the foreign hand on his, as if the few bumps of Sehun's veins popping out on his otherwise smooth skin were writing words or some demonic patters, Suho could understand. Yet, there wasn't a single streak of disgust or contempt in the humans eyes as he carefully threaded out every emotion from his Devil's gaze. A strange sigh was what Suho answered with to Sehun's touch. It was like relief, happiness and some sort of a sign that _'no you didn't commit another sin'_ mixed in that one sigh. 

Suho lightly moved his fingers from underneath Sehun's palm, opening them a tiny bit as Sehun's fingers fell between them and Suho closed them again, engulfing the humans hand in a weird, but warm grasp. Sehun also tightened his hold a little, confirming with a little squeeze that it was okay to do so.

'I saw a couple do this on the street the other day,' Suho mumbled out, his eyes still trained on their intertwined fingers, and Sehun could swear his whole body started burning like in hellfire. The males face had gone completely red.

'I mean-' he managed to stammer out. His only goal was to keep any shake or wobble out of his voice. 'People do that, yes-'

'SEHUN!' 

Both of them exchanged worried glances and it took only few moments for Sehun to climb out of the bed and already set for the door. The door was immediately blocked by the red-haired being, eyes flaring in the dim-light of the room like two, red suns. 

'I can't let you out if there's danger.'

'Suho, move aside,' Sehun cried out, trying to push him away with the last bits of strength he had. 'It's Kyungsoo, please!'

'No.'

'God, what do you want me to do?!'

'Stay with me. Safe.'

'I'll never be safe with you, because you are the damned Devil himself. You are danger.'

And, as those words had thoughtlessly left Sehun's mouth, Suho froze in his spot. It was his only opportunity and he pushed Suho enough to undo the door and rush out.

In the living room there was a panicked Kyungsoo, on one side of the beige coloured corner-couch, and another man, one eye glowing inhuman white, a larger dot, which Sehun assumed was the pupil, marking some sort of a center of them. His hair was green, covering his forehead and almost both of his eyes as they were trained on Kyungsoo's obviously shaken up frame. 

'SEHUN HELP ME!' He cried out again, almost launching at the taller human male, but as he took a step, so did the man, who was obviously another demon, judging by his attire. It caused Kyungsoo to stop dead in his tracks. 

'LIKE HELL I CAN HELP YOU!' 

He observed the demon for the brief second he could. The look in his eyes wasn't evil, it was longing, there was suffering and so much pain, Sehun had to wonder how one being could carry such soul and heart wrenching emotions. It took just one more second for Sehun to figure it all out.

'Kai!' He yelled out at the demon, no luck, it didn't even catch a part of his attention.

'Kratos, please,' those were the words he could make Kai's lips forming every second.

'Kares!' Finally it caught the demons attention. Sehun now felt exposed and vulnerable under the creatures burning gaze. And, if it wasn't filled with enough disgust and hate, it sure was when Suho's figure appeared behind Sehun. 

'What are you doing here?' His voice was very low and dangerous, those shivers once again did a lap around Sehun's back, because he was starting to learn about Suho's nature very fast. 

'I'm taking what's mine,' Kai snarled back, taking the moment of confusion in his favour to make another step towards Kyungsoo. 

'Please don't,' and Sehun knew that tone very well.

It was the same tone Kyungsoo had pleaded when seniors were about to bully Sehun and push him around, but he wasn't able to anything, because the principal already had his eyes on Kyungsoo from all the times he had gotten in fights for getting his dongsaeng out of trouble, next one would mean expelling. It was the same tone Kyungsoo had pleaded by Sehun's bed when he had gotten into an accident and his eyes hadn't opened for few days. It was the same tone Kyungsoo spoke with when he learnt Sehun was already doomed and Suho held his fragile soul between his clawed fingers. 

'Sehun!' Two voices called out in unison - Suho's and Kyungsoo's - when Sehun had taken fast steps to stand between his Hyung and Kai.

'Get lost.'

'Who are you to order me?'

'Who are _you_ to disobey _me_?' And, there was something in Sehun's voice that made the air around them freeze. Kyungsoo's breath got stuck mid-way in his lungs, Kai's eyes were screaming of the danger in front of him, Suho was proud, so proud he laughed out. ' _Shut it._ ' 

Sehun held his head high, as if he was looking _down_ on Kai and it made the demon mad, yet he wasn't able to protest. 

'What did you do to him?!' The air was cut open by Kyungsoo's ear-piercing yell, switching sides he was glaring daggers at the red-haired Devil. 'What did you do to my Dongsaeng?!'

'He was never human to even begin with,' Kai replied in disgust, 'it's impossible.'

'And, Kyungsoo was never yours.' Sehun's ice cold words seemed to awaken something in the demon. 

'You and your love for him is cursed,' Kai's green locks fell before his eyes more as he moved closer to Sehun, a finger pointed in the humans chest. 'I will make sure he watches your every breath from Hell as you forget him, just as my Kr- Kyungsoo forgot me.'

The next second he was gone as quickly as he had appeared, leaving the three men in the room now in silence and in the veil of dread. Something was creeping up behind their backs, was it the curse, they didn't know, but whatever it was - it was coming to take their fates and take them away. 

'We need to contact Baekhyun immediately,' were Sehun's first words.

The other two threw shifty glances at him. Suho's face didn't have a different expression, but Kyungsoo's changed like day to night, when his eyes fell on Sehun.

'Your face-'

And, even before Sehun could ask what's wrong, Suho had wordlessly pulled him inside his room, where he had previously woken up in. The walls seemed darker than they were before they left, but maybe it was the dread creeping up his back of what he was about to see, once Suho pulls him in the bathroom, connected to his bedroom, and makes him stand before the mirror. Red wound-like line stretched over his right eye - it made him find resemblance with the cuts that had fallen deep into Suho's skin under his eyes, like streams of red breaking through spring kissed grounds. His usually dark brown eye on the said side was gleaming an alarming white, similar to Kai's eyes. And, he couldn't help, but to gulp at the sight before him, because the fatigue had marked dark crescents under his eyes, making it look like his eyes were sinking back into his scull, but the piercing white of his right iris gave it an impression of a gleaming jewel from a dead mans chest. 

'Why-' was all he could whisper as his fingers lightly touched over the red lines, surprisingly he only felt a light sting with the action, even if it looked a lot more painful than that. 'Suho, why-'

Their eyes met through the mirror and for the first time, it looked like the Devil couldn't laugh. There was always something in Suho that made it appear as if he was silently mocking or making sarcastic remarks in his head about the person speaking before him - most of the time this person was Sehun. Even when the said human yelled at Suho, his eyes had a silent gleam of mockery, that strangely scared Sehun. He was more scared now, that it was gone. 

'What is the curse, Oh Sehun?' Suho asked instead.

Sehun gulped, but still turned to face the other properly. They both could hear Kyungsoo's ragged breathing and occasional sniffling in the living room, they could both hear the clock on Sehun's nightstand tick away seconds of their life, but they couldn't hear the words spoken centuries and centuries ago. It was a strange vow between the demons, but the ones, who knew the curse, the prophecy, never spoke about it. Suho knew it existed, but he didn't know the lines. However, Sehun knew them by heart at this rate.

'I don't know if the curse is taking your humanity away, so you wouldn't be able to speak it or if it's me who's making you this way,' Suho sighed once Sehun remained silent. 'But, either way I have to know it.'

And, Sehun didn't know why, but he couldn't laugh. There was something so natural about knowing that the Devil ought to belong to him and vice versa, something so right about things having to be this way. He was scared if he told Suho, the said Devil would simply leave, being too scared to risk it all.

Yet, he spoke the lines, that he could remember even at the dead of the night. Every word he had spoken and every line, he had granted with his level of understanding and emotion. The moment seemed to run short very fast and when he had finished Kai's created curse he could only wordlessly look at Suho for any signs, of this being a joke all along and his real purpose was something else. He waited for the Devil to laugh - as he had done before about anything that Sehun had said. He waited to see his arrogant smile and prideful gaze and hear him say: _'I'd never fall for a lowly being like you, Oh Sehun. Who do you think you are, you mere human?'_ or anything of the sorts. But, it never came and they still stood surrounded by distant noises, but mainly silence.

'Say something,' Sehun finally whispered, afraid to awaken some sort of a monster of emotions if he was too loud. 'Tell me it's a joke, laugh at me.'

The flaming red in Suho's eyes died down and they turned about the same darkness of brown as Sehun's. He could no longer see the gates of Hell, which burned fueled by sins and anger, behind his eyes. There was void, unfilled and cold.

Suho stammered an airy laugh and when he looked back at Sehun he saw what he had feared to see. Warmth and softness now laid behind those eyes as he looked over at Sehun, it was barely there, like the most beautiful, pure flower miraculously blooming in a field of destruction, receiving no sunlight, but it was there. 

'It's inevitable.'

'I don't want it,' Sehun's voice had fallen even quieter and as a tear rolled over his cheek the red streaks under his eyes vanished, soaking it, and the ones coming next, up. 'I didn't ask for it.'

'Oh Sehun, you know these things aren't happening because of a curse, right?'

'Yes, they are!'

'It's fate.'

He doesn't know why, but at that moment it sounded very believable, he was ready to believe fate, but, what paths would it lead if once they allowed it to act, they will only fall into suffering.

'You believed me, when I told you I am the Devil,' he began once more, 'even tho you were taught I do not exist and I know your heart didn't believe it. Why do you refuse to believe that, whatever you can feel, it could be real?'

'Since when do you not hate me? Why aren't you mocking me?'

Kyungsoo stood close behind the wall of the bathroom, breaths held frozen in his lungs, as he listened. He knew the answer, he knew far more than Sehun did. 

'Because I've been watching you ever since I was tied with million chains.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little apology from me about the very, very long delay on the chapter. This one is a bit more cheesy, emotional, next one will bring back the usual Suho, confused, as we know him.  
> I'm also very happy to tie in a little of Kai's and Kyungsoo's story, at first I thought to make it a separate book, but we'll see if it ever comes to that. What do you guys think?
> 
> Anyways, am glad to be back and I hope you continue enjoying this little piece of mine! Stay safe everyone!


	8. The Ghost of You

'What is _he_ doing here?' Chanyeol deadpanned as he came inside the living room, a particular, red-haired demon coming into his sight. It looked like Junmyeon had just zoned out, staring at something on the glass coffee table before him.

'Learning about the human life,' Baekhyun replied in a little smug-ish tone. 'Sehun asked me.' Chanyeol had to stiffen a laugh, Junmyeon had probably managed to annoy Sehun somehow. Dearest reader, remember, that Park Chanyeol does not know of the three demons and one super-human guardian seated in the living room. Only a faint idea of something not being _quite right_.

'Then, what is he doing here?' Chanyeol then pointed to Kyungsoo, a little red creeping over his cheeks as he looked at the younger male, catching a glimpse of his dark, doe eyes, but they averted from his the next second. He was strangely close to Junmyeon, actually a little bit behind him, since the demon was sitting rather on the edge of the couch, but Kyungsoo was fully sitting into it, using the supernatural being as a shield of sorts.

'He brought Suho here,' Baekhyun answered.

'And, what's up with _that_ one?' Chanyeol at last motioned with his head at Kai, who was sitting at the far back of the room, staring right at Kyungsoo. It really did seem like his stare had paralyzed the shorter male, who had a particular soft spot in Chanyeol's heart and he felt his arms and hands itching to just scoop the smaller up and run from everyone and everything with Kyungsoo in them. But, he couldn't. Why? Because when his eyes traveled to Baekhyun, that's all he saw. The droopy, puppy eyes that sparkled when they met with his, those thin lips, who bared mischievous and captivating smiles, his voice that sang to him in the dead of the night when he couldn't sleep. Sometimes he imagined it was Kyungsoo, who sang besides him, but soon the image of the dark-eyed male was replaced by the white-haired trouble maker even in his mind. 

Baekhyun only laughed. 'He's sitting there, because he wants to be closer to Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo told him to not take a step closer, since Jongin hates Junmyeon, Kyungsoo is sitting besides him - Jongin won't dare to approach him with Junmyeon besides.'

'I see.' But inside he was boiling over what relations Kyungsoo had with that Jongin dude. His hair was hideous, he had a weird kink for wearing mismatching, creepy contact lenses and his lip was busted, which meant he got into a fight. Everyone, who knows Kyungsoo, knows he cannot stand people, who constantly get into fights. Chanyeol didn't even notice the arrogant smirk on his lips, because he knew Jongin would stand no chance against him, when it comes to Kyungsoo. 

'Where are you headed, Yeollie?' Baekhyun very quickly draped his arms around the taller males neck, bringing their faces closer. Chanyeol couldn't resist. 

'Sehun called,' upon those words a whine-like sound traveled from the couch and the two instinctively glanced over.

Junmyeon's eyes were _begging_ for Chanyeol to take him along. He didn't say anything, but the look, that was hypnotizing whatever piece of dust on the glass table before, was now trained on Chanyeol. He could _swear_ he _heard_ the males voice in his head. 

'I-I'm sorry, I can't' Chanyeol stammered, shaking his head violently as he pulled his gaze away from those menacing, red eyes. His eyes then met with Baekhyuns. Storm blue is what was staring back at him. He cowered away a little, taking a step away from the white-haired male. He was just as unnatural as the other two. The three had the same kind of aura around them, the same kind of fire behind their eyes and that menacing draw, that made Chanyeol stick closer to the danger surrounding them. The only island of peace was Kyungsoo. His pitch black hair and almost comically large eyes, were the ones that stood against the larger three presences in the room. He was the only _normal_ one. 'I have to go now.' 

He almost felt sick from the way the three males filled the room up, leaving no mouthful of fresh air for someone like him. He was the tallest and broadest of them five, yet he really felt the smallest. And, once he was surrounded by the tight space of his car, only then he found comfort in it. He heaved out a breath of relief and took a moment to lean his forehead against the back of his hands, with which he had grabbed the steering wheel. Just few breaths in and he was feeling better already.

_I'm Park Chanyeol. I was born on November 27th, 1992. Currently, I am 27 years old. I have a dog named Toben. My best friend is Oh Sehun. I'm a musician, I play the drums and guitar, piano, I also rap. I'm in love with Do Kyungsoo._

He opened his eyes once more and started the engine. Pulling out of the parking lot he couldn't help, but to look up at the open window of his apartment. Surely enough, a pair of blue eyes were staring down on him and the spark of anger he felt in the pit of his stomach made him speed up and get out of there as soon as possible. Tires screeching against the road. 

Until he had reached Oh Sehun's apartment, his anger had died down, leaving an empty feeling inside of him and curiosity as well as dread instead. Taking the back entrance he was soon staring at the black door of Oh Sehun's apartment. It felt weird to know, that there was someone else staying with him now. Yet, he wasn't quite sure what relation the two had. Since Junmyeon was now on a lockout and Sehun was inside, resting from the red-haired male. Chanyeol knocked three times before making his way inside.

'Yo!' He raised a hand up and immediately took off his shoes, balancing himself against the wall as he did. 'Long time no see.'

'We saw each other few days ago,' Sehun mumbled. He turned on his heel, not telling Chanyeol to follow him inside, but he was quick to catch on the memo and followed the younger male to the living room. The two then plopped down on the couch, where Sehun out of habit still leaned his head against Chanyeol's shoulder, but the older brought his arms around him and pulled him close. It was really bad if Sehun allowed to be held like this, that much Chanyeol knew.

'Hyung,' Sehun whispered, 'I'm falling in love.'

And, Chanyeol laughed. He laughed loudly, like it was funniest comedy ever. First, because he never thought to hear those words from Oh Sehun himself, second, because he spoke it like it was some sin to love. Of course, the elf-eared male wasn't ready to hear the rest. It had been few days since Suho told Sehun, he had been watching him for so long. The apartment was in strange silence ever since and they did their absolute best to avoid each other in the house. It drove Sehun till the point he had called Kyungsoo and asked him to get Suho away _anywhere_ , just for a little while. 

'Sehunnie, I don't understand, why are you so terrified?' Chanyeol glanced at the male, a sideways smile on his lips and an easy look in his eyes.

'You love my Hyung, don't you?'

Chanyeol gulped.

'You love Kyungsoo, don't you? But, you can't escape from Baekhyun. You don't like Baekhyun, but when he's around, he is all you see and everyone else leaves your mind. It's just Byun Baekhyun. When you think of Kyungsoo-Hyung, he suddenly becomes Byun Baekhyun, when you play music, suddenly you hear Baekhyun's voice in your head. Isn't it so?'

And, Sehun's eyes were boring right through his. Those dark, seemingly bored, deep eyes were reaching right into Chanyeol's soul. He spoke out the thoughts of which Park Chaneyol had been so scared of. 

'Baekhyun isn't human.'

Chanyeol wanted to laugh again, his lips even curled up a bit as heavy breaths rolled over his lips, but the serious tone and gaze made it all melt back into confusion.

'You've noticed that his eyes have never changed out of that unnatural blue, haven't you?'

Chanyeol nodded.

'Baekhyun nor Junymyeon nor Jongin are human.' Sehun said and sat up. 'Baekhyun's real name is Arae and he is the demon of curses, he compelled you. He wanted you and he got you, even if you long for Kyungsoo. Jongin's name is Kai, in Hell it was Kares, he's a spirit, who controls violent deaths.'

But, Sehun didn't continue.

'And, Junmyeon?'

Sehun's eyes suddenly earned that glassy look of tears and Chaneyol's brows instantly furrowed in worry.

'Junmyeon's name is Suho, he is the Devil.'

'You're in love with the Devil-'

'He's cursed.'

'I mean-'

'Once he falls for me completely he's going to die. Chanyeol, I can't fall out of it and neither can he. I will lose him either way!'

'And, Kyungsoo?'

'He was supposed to protect me, so I didn't free the Devil.'

'His relation with Jongin?'

'They were lovers, who were parted, because of Suho. Which is why Kai hates him and cursed him.'

Chanyeol's mind cut short after the words ' _lovers_ '. Bullshit.

'I'm supposed to believe it because-?'

Sehun chuckled a little. He didn't even expect for Chanyeol to listen this far. So, he sat a little away from the big eared male. He was still staring right into eyes. Chanyeol noticed how the males eye morphed white, just the same as Kai's was. Red lines, which could be no other than blood, lined under the white eye, creating streaks of pain in Sehun's soft skin. The taller male could do nothing else, but stare. The face that stared back without a doubt belonged to his friend, but at the same time it was so foreign. 

'Are you like them?'

'Not really,' Sehun sighed as he finally looked away. 'I can't compel anyone or make them paralyzed. All I can do, when my eye changes, is see this black thread.'

'Black thread?'

'Yeah. Like, it's around you and it goes out of the room, then out of the front door.'

The younger male then reached and grabbed Chanyeol's hand in his, pointing with his free hand to the front door. 'See, the black thread is there.' And, Chanyeol truly saw it. Just a thin, almost invisible, black thread that was floating around the room, but disappeared behind the same coloured front door.

Chanyeol's eyes sparked with mischief as he shifted a little more comfortably in his spot. 'Wanna go see where it goes?'

Sehun smirked back, finally some emotion flooding into his face. 'Hell yeah.'

The two males set right out for Sehun's car, since it was much more spacious than Chanyeol's and they didn't want to risk a spying Baekhyun recognizing them outside. Chanyeol was by the wheel as Sehun kept instructing them around the half-empty streets of evening Seoul. It was leading them outside of Seoul, to a place Chanyeol very well knew. Sehun also knew it, since it had been one of their favourite places where to stay, back when Chanyeol had just graduated high school.

'The thread, it's changing colour,' Sehun said as he noticed a little red appearing in it the more they followed.

'Oho,' Chanyeol wiggled his eyebrows. 'Maybe your one and only is someone else after all.'

Sehun only chuckled with a roll of his eyes, but as they pulled in the parking lot, sand and rocks popping under the tires, they had to gulp, because it was Kyungsoo's car they pulled up to. The said man himself was walking down the ground path from the forest back to his car, Kai besides him. They actually seemed to have fallen into light chatter, Kai was smiling so softly at the sight of the shorter male, but Kyungsoo's eyes were softening up a little as they moved their talks. It was actually adorable. 

'Go find your soulmate, Hun,' Chanyeol said as his eyes were trained on the two, 'I have lost mine, so go find yours for the two of us.'

Sehun saw the tears that pooled up in the corners of Chanyeol's eyes and the older turned away and made it back in the car. Kyungsoo had noticed him. His eyes were back on Chanyeol, who pretended to be busy by a phone game inside the car. Kyungsoo's eyes were now flooded back with hurt as he couldn't pull his eyes away from the elf-eared male. That of course didn't go unnoticed to Kai. Sehun walked pass them wordlessly, not even sparing a glance, not sparing a breath when the two gasped at his appearance and Kyungsoo almost called him over, stopped last second by Kai. He was following the thread, levitating inside the forest and he followed. He walked the path he knew with his eyes closed, till he came to the clearing, river running between the forest, a popular destination for people in summer, but this time it was empty. Only one figure was standing in the water as it ran around his feet, not touching him. Sehun's eyes followed the thread as he himself continued moving in slow steps. He stopped by the thin line of water, it slowly washing under the soles of his shoes. He saw the end. The thread was tied around the males hand, which leaned against his side. He turned around, the wave of red hair moving the other way along with the wind. 

Suho's red eyes met with Sehun's and the thread sparked in bright red the second they did. 

'Oh Sehun.'

'Suho.'


	9. Lucky one

'Chanyeol, you cannot move in here,' Sehun sighed at the elf-eared giant, sprawled across the living room couch, the best puppy-eye expression on his face anyone could pull. Sehun really wanted to give in.

'Just trade Suho for me!'

A pillow ended in his face with a loud smack as an answer.

'Don't you even think of it, Oh Sehun,' Suho threatened. Both of them knew how convenient it would be to erase these blooming feelings in them while they were only slowly rooting in them. Slowly, but surely. They knew they didn't have much time left to figure out their next steps, but at the same time the temptation to give in was way too strong. Even for Sehun and Suho, two beings, who could always say no to things, that would end up crushing their soul and heart.

'I can't go back to _him_!'

Him... Ever since Chanyeol had understood Byun Baekhyun's true nature, he wasn't capable of going back to the place he called home. Once in, he could never get out. The problem was that Baekhyun knew of Chanyeol's newfound knowledge, therefore he tried extra hard to keep the taller male in the reach of his abilities. He was not going to let go, but Chanyeol was sure he could run away. Run away from a demon. He didn't know if he had such luck on his plate of life. 

'Kyungsoo-' Suho started. Both of them - Suho and Sehun - had to observe Park Chanyeol's eyes sparkling, expression brighten with the mention of the doe-eyed male. Even given who he is, Suho felt nothing, but pity for the male, who had been so lifelessly laying on the couch previously, now rise up with new kind of life. Suho had to sigh, so did Sehun. 'He might know some ways to make sure Arae's-'

'Baekhyun's-'

'Shut up.' Suho glared at Sehun, squinting at him through the cover of his red hair, shooting daggers and any other form of artillery with his glance alone. 

Sehun's pursed lips were a good enough response for the Devil to understand, he had definitely reached a certain spot with this. The spot in his chest, that belonged to Sehun, was growing with every day, if he could do anything, then only weed out the roots of what one may call love in Sehun's heart. The human male knew that it was what Suho was trying to do, but he hated being hurt so much, he allowed him to.

'Kyungsoo might know how to make sure Baek's powers don't get to you.'

'Then what are we waiting for?!' Chanyeol chimed in, jumping up from the couch with the passion of thousand suns and galaxies. In short - he hadn't been this lively for a while now.

If you can't save yourself, you at least want to save others. It was like an unspoken law between Sehun and his friends, but Sehun was the one that actually made sure that everyone else was happy. He didn't know, how Kyungsoo would react once he'd call up in the car, as Chanyeol drove to his place, excitement beaming from him like warmth from a July sun, and Suho watching his every move in the rear-view mirror. The red string around his wrist, he could see it now even without changing his eye, without calling out the lines of red. It looked so thin, like the line of smoke that rose above a candle, that has just been put out. It even moved in a similar way. And, one day, that red line of candle smoke would vanish from his eyesight, like it had never been there in the first place.

He dreaded that day like no other. He prayed for it to never come, but as his eyes met with the ruby red of Suho's through the mirror, he knew it would. One day the candle would dim out completely to never burn in the dead of the night again.

'Sehun!!' A hand ended sharp on his side and he threw a hurt glance at the giant responsible for it. 'We're here! You had zoned out as if you were sleeping with your eyes open. Creepy!'

He didn't know, how Chanyeol would react once Kyungsoo opened the door and behind the shorter male, Kai's head would also peep out in the hallway. He watched the lump in his best friends throat form as he swallowed back a row of tears, that had been drowning his heart for months now. Ever since Byun Baekhyun appeared in his life. The way Kai wrapped a hand around Kyungsoo's waist and took a place besides the shorter, like he just naturally _belonged_ there. In a sense, he did, but in another - he didn't. If he had wanted to make a point by this action, then the only one he did was gaining an uncomfortable shift from Kyungsoo.

'Everyone, who knows Kyungsoo, knows he hates being pulled in like that,' Chanyeol growled lowly at the demonic creature staring back at him with eyes of white. 'Of course, how can you know? A pest, who appeared from the depths of Hell, where you should've stayed.'

'Ladies!' Sehun suddenly chimed in, pushing Kai and Kyungsoo into the apartment as he, Chanyeol and Suho made their way inside. 'I get that you all are overtaken by hormones, but we are actually here for business.'

'Then make it quick and perish.' 

The smirk that appeared on Sehun's lips were ones worthy of a devil. First of all, Kai was reluctant, because the change he saw in Sehun was one of something above his powers, second, he really couldn't waste his time on these beings. 

Yet, the ice cold glare was directed at Kyungsoo, rather than the green-haired demon. Kyungsoo's lips moved wordlessly, he already knew, why Sehun was giving him that stare. And, he also acknowledged - he deserved it. 

'Kai, leave us for a bit,' Kyungsoo finally said to the male, his tone quiet and uncertain.

'Take this one with you,' Sehun pushed his red-haired companion towards the door as well. 

Once they had cleared the room of supernatural beings, the real emotions could be unraveled. Except, Sehun's expression remained cold. 

'I don't want to talk about it,' was the only and first thing Kyungsoo declared. 'I have nothing to explain.'

'You really don't?' Chanyeol butted in before Sehun could negotiate peace on this island of destruction and pure havoc.

'Not you you!'

'What have I done to you so cruel you suddenly hate me?' With every shout, they neared closer, Chanyeol leaning down and Kyungsoo stretching up, to make sure the giants eyes took the full glory of his hurt and anger.

'You and Byun Baekh-'

Chanyeol was the first one to allow the tears to roll over his cheeks freely. He didn't stop the sobs and he didn't feel any shame. It was a part of the human nature, Sehun loathed it for what it was. So weak and raw. 

'How can you accuse me?! When I had no idea he wasn't even human, when it wasn't even my emotions, but his, that controlled my body?! And you knew, this whole time, Kyungsoo, you knew.'

'You would've never understood.'

'Then why did I understand, when Sehun told me so?'

In ones life there are many occurrences that shape and change the person, but here it was like the two of them were being reborn and made into something else. Something far worse than any demon. 

'Why are you even here?' As of suddenly regaining his clouded senses, Kyungsoo finally asked.

'We need something to protect this elf from Baekhyun's powers,' Sehun immediately butted in, feeling like the war between the two could be stopped now. He threw a careless grin in his answer, as if it was all an innocent adventure and they were gathering some armor or weapons at Kyungsoo's. In a sense it wasn't entirely wrong either. 

'There is one thing,' Kyungsoo mumbled and took off something that was carelessly hanging around his neck before. 'I wasn't sure if Kai had been playing some magic on me here and there,' there was a faint red on the males cheeks as he confessed, a trigger, that set Chanyeol in quiet rage. 'This doesn't let spells and powers of any kind affect you, inside of it are herbs, soaked in holy water.' Kyungsoo explained as he handed the necklace with the seemingly innocent, transparent crystal on the end of it, inside which had different greens. One of those aesthetic pieces, that many people would wear. 

Chanyeol only nodded as he took the necklace and mumbling a low thanks, left entirely. 

'So, you love him?' Sehun asked once the elf-eared male was out of sight. 

Kyungsoo answered with a sigh, one that held so much confusion, one that sounded so tired. 

'I think so.'

'You usually don't think about love.'

'They are demons, Sehun, the most deceiving things, that have ever walked the Earth.'

'Yet, that talisman proved your feelings were true, Hyung,' Sehun wanted to add a laugh yet he couldn't, despite the want to do so.

'And, so are yours. Then, why are you running from them?'

'You know why.'

'Kai told me.'

'Then you're just sick if you still asked,' Sehun shifted in his place, Suho immediately made his way in the room too and took his place besides the taller. 'Goodbye, Kyungsoo. You failed to protect me or to keep me.'

With that the two were off, leaving the apartment and tear-torn doe-eyed male behind their blind backs. Tho, once they made their way to the parking lot, they realized Chanyeol had left. 

'I can teleport us,' Suho offered, a slight grin on his lips. 

'Let's take a walk first.'

'Let's!'

But, the male, that had rushed off without them, soon pulled over by the same apartment, where Byun Baekhyun was already waiting, the talisman safely around his neck. 

'So, you're back~' He chimed, so sly and so arrogant. Chanyeol felt sick. 'What is that?'

'You know what it is, Byun Baekhyun.'

'Take it off.'

'No.'

'I said-!'

'Let me wear it and gain feelings for you, that would be real.'


	10. Blooming Days

_'So, he's just- not available? And that bothers you because-?'_ Sehun asked nonchalantly as he leaned back in his chair, one hand holding the phone by his ear rather lazily.

_'It's Chanyeol! He never disappears!'_ It was Kyungsoo's voice that desperately rang from the other side of Oh Sehun's phone, but Oh Sehun - he was done. Because it was selfish, so, so selfish of his Hyung to be acting like this now. 

_'Yeah, and you also have Kai, so maybe stop for once and allow Chanyeol to heal?'_ And, he snapped. He remembered how Kyungsoo was hurting, when Byun Baekhyun appeared, but he knew what was going on, yet when Kai appeared - that's where he stayed. Even knowing all the passes, that gave him the rights to run away.

'Right,' the older of the two mumbled and disconnected the call on instant. 

'Kyungsoo?' Suho chimed from the chair he had been previously sitting on, writing something away on a small notebook with a red pen. Sehun only nodded at Suho's question. 'It's funny, because they really are meant for each other.'

'Chanyeol and Kyungsoo?'

'Yes,' Suho smiled, closing the notebook as he stood up and made his way towards the human male. 'But their lives have been interfered with, by demons. Which is why their bound can no longer be the same.'

It made him wonder if there was possibly someone out there, currently feeling the most terrifying loneliness, because his own life was taken over by a certain red-haired demon.

'No, your life isn't tempered with,' Suho spoke as if he had read Sehun's mind. 'The curse only picks the one human, that has no soulmate. Which you had at one point, but in one of your lives they passed before you or weren't born yet, the curse picked you in that moment.'

'That is tempering tho-'

'It's not. Because soulmates can change, if they aren't meant to be torn apart - nothing will.'

Oh Sehun had heard people say he can't love... a lot. It was one of the peoples favourite ever thing to say at him and he couldn't really be mad. He truly felt very little, when it came to romantic feelings. Even now, when his eyes fell on the male before him, when they hungrily devoured his every move and caught his every inhale, exhale and twitch of the lips otherwise deemed as a smile - he didn't feel a ton of butterflies in his stomach, he didn't feel like the colours around him became brighter, but he did feel warmer than he had ever before. 

'It feels like you're going somewhere,' Sehun mumbled, shifty eyes running over Suho's face, looking for an answer.

A nervous chuckle left the demons lips as he scratched the behind of his neck hastily, nodding a little. 

'I'll be back in less than a day, I need to secure some things in-'

'In-?'

'Hell.'

'Well-' Sehun almost wanted to laugh. It sounded so absurd, but the small cracks, just along Suho's hairline, that started to reveal tiny bumps of two horns once again proved to him - this was never going to be like any other relationship or a part of his life people would usually tell. 'Guess you have to do, what you have to do.'

'I have left a place, where millions of sinners and demons are trapped for the eternity.' Suho shrugged. 'Someone has to watch over it.'

'Please exit through the front door as if you were going to work, just so it seems a little bit more normal,' the explanation truly made the human mimic even more, realizing the depth of which majority of people would call a completely fictional life.

Suho only laughed, but obeyed nevertheless and soon all that was heard was the slight echo as the demon closed the door behind himself. Sehun actually didn't expect for Suho to agree, but he was glad the male had. 

The world was round, it was spinning, just very slowly, and his name was still Oh Sehun, but it really felt like he could find out the Earth is flat tomorrow. Just as he had started drifting away in his thoughts, a knock rang from the door. If it had been Chanyeol or Kyungsoo, they would've ran into Suho on their way here, and then they'd be able to find out Sehun was home. Which meant, that by now, the door would've already be open. Unless it was Suho and he really needed for the human male to get up and open the door.

Could it be that he was back from Hell already? Maybe time had a different flow down there. Trapped in his thoughts still, Oh Sehun made it to the door and lazily opened it, a small pout on his lips as he did, since he had been disturbed from staring at the wall and thinking.

'Did you forget something- O-' his breath got stuck in his throat, eyes widening enough to look comical on his face. What stood before him wasn't anyone he knew, but two males, clad in black and white, nonchalant expressions on their faces.

'Do you think we got the right place?' One of them asked, a bit taller than the other. His hair was pitch black and swept in a slight wave at the front, since it was relatively short. The other males hair was as white as first snow, spiking to all sides as it overall reminded of a snow pile.

'The place reeks of a demon,' the white-haired male scrunched his nose as he spoke and peered behind Sehun, 'unless it's just Arae having fun.'

'No, then you have to head to Chanyeol's,' Sehun now had a rather pissed expression, feeling like a wall, when the two spoke like he hadn't existed.

Now their eyes met with Sehun's, as if finally acknowledging his presence in the doorway to _his_ apartment. 

'So, you know A-' the black, slick haired one started.

'Yeah, yeah, the whole bunch. If you're looking for them - they aren't here. Not even Suho.'

'Perfect!' Once the white-haired had chimed in he pushed pass Sehun and entered the apartment, the other following. 'Man, this needs some good airing, smells of a demon more than it did in the doorway.'

Once they had passed through, Sehun noticed something that made him almost yell in fear - wings on their backs. Each of them had a pair of glistening, white wings on their back, almost screaming: _'back away and don't touch us - we're sacred'._ Well, their attitude definitely wasn't sacred. 

'Oh, poor human~ Must be so confused.'

'You two are angels, what's there to be confused about?' Sehun replied, closing the door behind himself. 'You are even worse mannered than demons.'

'You definitely have a spell going on there-'

'Just because I see through your bulls-'

'Chen, we're in no luck today!'

Sehun just stared. He had once again become to be a wall, it seemed.

'Ah, right, the human-' The white haired one - which actually reminded Oh Sehun of a pixie - suddenly turned back and smiled once more. 'My name is Xiumin and this is Chen,' he motioned at the dark haired angel, earning a tiny wave as an answer. 'We are angels and we're here to help.'

'How?'

'To stop the curse of course!' Xiumin seemed to be the spokesman here, so he was the one to talk most of the time. 'That _love_ you're feeling is nothing real. It is all an illusion, created by Suho. We just need to preform a single spell to erase it a-'

'Great. Let's do it.'

'What-?' Chen's mouth hung open as he stared at the human. 

The curse was almost like Sehun's largest gift, but at the same time it was ruining his life by a fraction and he just wasn't sure he could deal with a heartbreak, when it was so fragile already. A heart that was about to fall for the first and last time in his life, and it brought no hope to him, that it could turn out to be good. So, the second he heard it could be redone, that he could have a possibility to fall for someone normally - he was ready to take it.

'Xiu, I'm not sure-' Chen tried to pass his concerns over to the other angel, all the while being under Sehun's prying gaze, almost begging them to do what they had told they would.

'Yeah, I know, it's unusual,' Xiumin muttered back before Chen could finish.

'You do realize I hear you two talk every time you pretend I am a wall, right?'

'Right,' they both answered in unison and sighed, but Xiumin was the one to continue. 'Suho was once like us, till- he did some stuff and was sent to Hell, am sure you know how the Devil ended up there. When he was trapped down there you humans were safe, but now we need to re-do the effect and send him back. We figured that your love - that he compelled to you - is what keeps him here.'

_They know less than I do,_ Sehun thought in his mind, but there could only be so much which could go wrong.

'Just do your thing.'

The two angels exchanged a look between themselves. Once they had finished that conversation of stares, they looked back at Sehun and sighed. Shrugging they stood on each side of the human male and raised their arms up. Sehun didn't really register much, because all he could see was blinding white light and the next moment he was on the chair, where Suho had sat before he left. The two angels were in front of them, eyes sparkling. 

'How do you feel?' Chen asked, passing a glass of water towards the human.

Sehun gladly accepted the glass and emptied it in mere seconds, not understanding where the need for water came from so suddenly. 'You two are clowns.'

All he could feel was that warmth, which he had grown to understand is love, still blooming in his chest, and he could see the two angels also realized it. 

'Could it be- It's not a spell?' Xiumin mumbled, taking a step back. 'We have to report back, Oh Sehun.'

'That you two failed and this is for real - got it.'

Sehun only pointed to the door and moments later he was back in the silence of his apartment. Maybe there really was no way out of it and he just had to let it happen. He just had to allow this disaster to take control of his life and lead it down it's natural path. 

'Oh Sehun?' The human cracked one eye open, not even noticing how he had fallen into light slumber, woken up by no other, but Suho's voice. 

'Hey,' he smiled a little, raising up on the armchair, to greet the demon properly. 'Back already?'

'Already?' Suho's laugh reached Sehun's ears, making a smile surface on his lips too. 'It's 2AM.'

And, truly, the room was drowning in shadows, the only source of light being the luminosity brought inside from the bright street lamps. 

'I brought something for you,' Suho said as he pressed a thin object in Sehun's hand. When he looked down, he noticed a flower, gleaming in a soft red, like a light source of it's own. The shape reminded Sehun of a spider lily, but the colour was definitely the same one of Suho's eyes, when Sehun first met him. 'It will never wither, for as long as this feeling in my chest stays, grows and blooms - so will the flower. I want you to remember me, when you look at it.'

Now he also felt why Xiumin and Chen failed, now he felt, why no soulmate could have ever fulfilled his heart. He was indeed made for this and Suho only.


	11. Made In You

Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, but days into weeks. The flower, which Sehun could only assume came from the Hell, really never withered. He had even stopped watering it and left it in the darkest, then brightest corner of the room, but nothing happened to it. I stood as still and as bright as it had the time Suho brought it home. It ended up into the male giving up to make the magic plant die and just accepted it as it is - and planted it. In the end, he named the flower 'Cotton' (inspired by the Myeon part in Suho's human name) and put it, so he could always see it. 

As the days turned into weeks, what had been a tiny seed of affection, slowly rooting in Sehun's chest now had taken over all of his body. The days he used to spend alone, knowing nothing, but practice, slowly turned into days, where the evenings had Suho's presence by his side, to days, where Suho would sit in the studio as Sehun practiced. The hole in his life had been naturally filled up and he didn't even notice how. Sehun hadn't heard from Kyungsoo nor Chanyeol, where Suho had no idea about Baekhyun and Kai. Their fear grew, but they also for once stopped fighting against it. 

'I think we should go and enjoy a nice evening today,' Suho commented once the music in the studio stopped and Sehun's heavy breaths were what filled up the silence instead as he was observing his posture in the mirror after finishing the particular dance.

'You think?' Sehun panted through words as he grabbed a towel and patted along his forehead, getting rid of the sweat. 'I mean, we could.'

'How about the river?'

Of course, the river, where the string, that connects them, had lead Sehun to. He doesn't even notice it as he's smiling a little at the memory. 

'Sure.' Sehun agreed, taking the spot besides Suho on the floor.

'There's something you haven't told me,' Suho started, but only received a confused raise of Sehun's brow. 'The day I had to leave for a little, you had visitors, didn't you?'

Xiumin and Chen. The two angels, that Sehun had conveniently forgotten to mention. 

'You know anyways.'

'I know everything.'

'Then, why are you asking?'

'I want to hear it from you,' Suho's brows furrowed as the argument seemed to stretch out. Sehun was no longer looking at him, but straight ahead, hypnotizing a spot on the floor before him.

'You're acting like a human.'

The Devil's eyes flamed red for a second. 'Anyone else would've been thankful.'

In these weeks, Suho had learnt about Sehun's temper. He was always the younger around people - getting babied around, getting anything he wanted, but most importantly - he always escaped the consequences of his actions. His natural charm and way with words played a big role to cover that. Suho, however, wasn't everyone else and it was never near his favour to let this human go and act how he wanted to. 

'Oh Sehun,' Suho started, his voice already stern, but it only fueled Sehun furthered. 

'Let's go home, if we want to go to the river later,' Sehun dismissed immediately, getting up from the floor and grabbing the few belongings on his way up. 

Once they had gathered everything in silence and Sehun had changed out of his practice clothes, they headed for the door.

_'Sehun!'_

_'Suho!'_

Two voices rang desperately as soon as Suho opened the door. Two pairs of pleading demon eyes staring at them.

'Nope!' Suho smiled and closed the door immediately, taking Sehun's hand as he walked to the mirrors, dragging the confused human behind him. 'We're taking the portals today.'

'Suho!' But, Baekhyun was in front of them with a blink of an eye.

'Sehun, _please_!' And, there was Kai also. 

Not a step could be made with these two randomly popping up. 

'Maybe if we turn _slowly_ ,' Sehun whispered and the two turned on their heel, yet there the two already were.

They sighed in unison and glanced at each other, already feeling desperate, miserable and quite frankly disturbed - so were their plans.

'What is it?' Suho wasn't fond of any of them, especially Kai and lately Baekhyun, given Suho had realized the demon was able to decline curses - which he hadn't done, when it came to him and Sehun.

'It's Kyungsoo!' Kai called out, but receiving an elbow in his side, delivered by Baekhyun, added, 'and Chanyeol.'

'They've disappeared,' Baekhyun interrupted and continued. 'We've been try to-'

'Call,' Kai cried out, beating Baekhyun to the next words, 'we've been calling, performing spells, but it's nothing.'

Sehun only raised his palm at the two, motioning for them to finally shut up. He pulled his phone out of his pocked and found Chanyeol's number, if anything, he hadn't made enemies with Chanyeol yet, which couldn't be exactly said by Kyungsoo. However, after few rings - the yoda-eared male picked up, tho his ' _yes_ ' came out muffled and suppressed. 

'Yeol, where are you two?' Sehun asked as a matter of a fact, friendly chit-chat, as he would've every day.

' _You know it's a funny tale,_ ' Chanyeol chuckled, _'I was at Kyungsoo's, the doorbell rang, we opened. There stood two men - black and white._ '

'Xiumin and Chen,' Suho whispered.

_'They said they could make this end,'_ Chanyeol continued. _'They at least hid us from them, but they couldn't figure what kind of a spell has loomed over us. I mean- I think Kyungsoo realized, but ever since the day he did, he hasn't been talking. He barely eats, drinks or moves around in general.'_

Kai let out a painful whine, his eyes gleaming the purest white. Sehun realized they looked the same as the two angels wings, but the resemblance was a real ironic one. Given one was pure, the other not. 

'Chanyeol,' Sehun started again, 'I also know why. Xiumin and Chen were also here - at my place - I also realized, why it didn't work on me, why I didn't get free of Suho.'

_'You did?'_ Chanyeol's voice sparked of life suddenly. _'Then you have to tell me! Sehun!'_

'I will, I will, but you have to tell me where you are. It's a lot, so I'd like to tell you face to face.'

_'Kyungsoo's grandmothers old house. You know, as the protectors, they have their properties sealed with spells from demons anyways.'_

'Alright, am heading over.'

'Sehun! We have to go too!' Baekhyun was the first to leap around his neck and almost pull him to the ground, which - who knew - could open up and swallow them all. 

' _No_. You three will head to the river and not mess in this time.'

Sehun could already feel the objections from them all rising, mainly Suho tho. The two of them weren't used to spend their time apart anymore. It was quite ridiculous, how they wanted to get apart at first, but now - as in any sappy drama - they were together, side by side. He closed the door behind him at the speed of light almost, and ran down the multiple sets of stairs to the underground parking lot. Even in the car it felt weird to breathe without the demons presence next to him. Fastening his seat belt, Sehun dismissed the thoughts and pulled out of the cramped up space, soon meeting daylight. 

Just on the main highway, he received an incoming call. Much to his surprise, the caller wasn't Chanyeol, but Kyungsoo. Nevertheless, Sehun was quick to answer and set the speaker on.

_'Are they with you?'_ Kyungsoo's voice was visibly toned down, a little emotionless even. Something Sehun knew was bad news when it came to the older. Hushed and controlled volumes of his death-stare Hyungs voice could only mean he was in a spiral of self-doubt and uncertainty.

'They aren't, no.' 

_'Good.'_ A moment of silence passed and Sehun was already getting to drop the call, assuming Kyungsoo had left the phone somewhere, yet forgot to end the call. _'How far are you?'_ Much to Sehun's surprise, Kyungsoo's voice rang once more.

'Like a 15 minute drive away if the highway keeps as empty.'

_'Don't take too long.'_

And, with that the call was finally ended.

It actually took him 17 minutes to arrive at the gates of the old house. It was a Victorian style house - surprisingly for their whereabouts - in light blue and white colours. Vines were climbing up the facade of the wooden building, eating up the North walls entirely. He knew that's where Kyungsoo's room also was, so the appearance of nature in only one particular area didn't surprise the male at all. From outside it seemed, like inside the house there was no sign of life whatsoever, even the wind wasn't blowing here, as it was back in the city. Everything was strangely silent and frozen in time. 

Once Sehun closed the metal gates behind himself, a faint sound of steps echoed from the doorway, where Kyungsoo was indeed waiting for him. He didn't know how else to greet his Hyung, other than to wave. Before all of this - whatever it was, that made the three of them feel strangely uneasy - he would've wrapped the shorter in a bone-breaking hug. Asked him to cry out his worries on his shoulder, so he could carry them instead of Kyungsoo himself.

'Let's head in,' was all that Kyungsoo said and disappeared inside, before Sehun could've climbed up the set of stairs to the door.

'Sehun, hi!' Chanyeol greeted him the second he had removed his shoes and stepped inside the living room. Much like Kyungsoo's grandmothers apartment, the house inside was a whole botanical garden of itself. Sehun only mimicked at the look a little, swarm of memories threatening to flood his mind any second now. 

'So, you two,' Sehun started already in the doorway, fixing his hands on his hips and giving the two a judging stare, 'what is up with you?'

'This is the first time he is scolding us and not the other way around,' Chanyeol leaned closer to Kyungsoo and whispered, not looking away from the comical sight of Sehun's stern look. 

Kyungsoo only nodded back, _finally_ some colour running back into his face, which had previously been a colour of sickish pale. 'This ought to be a parallel universe.'

'This is very real and the two of you are acting like teenagers.' Sehun mumbled back, adding a judging glare to the overall posture.

'You wouldn't understand,' Kyungsoo said, 'Xiumin and Chen tried to break, what they were sure is a spell.'

Sehun only chuckled, more like mocked his Hyung with this suppressed laugh.

'I don't get it?' He said, a bit louder than he thought he would, irritation in it's rawest form spilling all over his tone. 'I was the one, who had to drag every bit of information from you when you knew what was happening. I thought that I could run away from this, but I always came back to Suho. I already realized it is not a spell that bounds us. I realized it the second Chen and Xiumin also did. It's just... love.'

'Impossible,' Chanyeol was first to object. 'You know Baekhyun did in fact use a spell on me.'

'So, what about the charm Kyungsoo gave you? How much of a spell was there, when you realized you still loved him, even with no spells bound?'

Chanyeol looked away. Kyungsoo's eyes were focusing on the tips of his feet, sinking in the rug beneath them. Yet, Sehun was standing there, in the doorway, as the only pillar of stability between them three.

'What do we do?' Kyungsoo finally asked, looking up at the youngest, but the bravest of them three.

'You two, have to stop doubting those feelings. Baekhyun nor Kai mean any harm to you. If they did the two of you wouldn't be here. Instead, they are running around like kids, who have lost their mother in a supermarket.'

'But you?' Chanyeol peeked up, sighing at the sight of Sehun's stability.

'I don't know yet.'

And, just like that, they could see that the facade of peace and stability was nothing, but a mere mask. The ground beneath Sehun's feet was cracking and opening up, and he let it happen and swallow him whole. 


	12. Starry Night

'I really liked it here,' Chanyeol pouted as he and Sehun stood before the house, while Kyungsoo locked the door shut. Sehun still couldn't relate or agree to that, his mind was only linking the house with Kyungsoo's grandmother and their unfortunate visit. Kyungsoo was oddly quiet. Well, Sehun guess it was stupid to assume he was oddly quiet, it was quite _normal_ his reaction was still reluctant and unsure.

It took him a very long while to talk those two into going to the river, where the three demons were already waiting for them. Sehun had taken his sweet time to explain, how Baekhyun and Kai had ruined the day the two were supposed to spend together, so it was now Chanyeol's and Kyungsoo's responsibility to fix the mess created by their hide and seek play. So, yes, maybe he did try to guilt trip them a tiny bit. Even so, he succeeded. 

'So, we will just go and crash with them at the river?' Chanyeol asked from the backseat. Both, him and Kyungsoo, had taken the backseats and made it their personal resting place, laying, sprawled across the entire space and almost sticking their legs in the front seat too. The doubts that got them frozen had now been melted away with Sehun's words, and the two were as lively as ever. 

Sehun shrugged his shoulders, glancing into Chanyeol's eyes for a split second through the rear-view mirror. 

'What else are we supposed to do?'

'Grab drinks!' Kyungsoo suggested, his head popping in the view of the mirror as well, and Sehun had to stiffen a laugh at his large eyes sparking as he talked.

'Do demons even get drunk?' Chanyeol was the one to ask, but both of the toddlers in the backseat were the ones to send questioning looks at the back of Sehun's head. 

'I have no idea,' Sehun answered, 'I've never seen Suho drink. Guess we can test that out today.'

'I have a bad feeling.'

And, just as sudden as that, Kyungsoo's face had morphed into an expression of dead seriousness and worry. His thick brows were tightly knitted together and lips pressed in a thin line, yet his eyes were the most alarming ones. They seemed to be darker than ever and they were carrying some knowledge no one else did. 

'What bad feeling?' The youngest of them was the first one to recover from the confusion, created by the sudden change.

'I don't know.'

'You're lying.'

'Something is going to happen.'

'What is?'

'That I really don't know.'

'I don't believe that either.'

Kyungsoo stayed silent now. 

'I think we all need some beer and soju,' Chanyeol suddenly butted in, leaning forward to come in the frame of their conversation of abrupt sentences. 

Sehun only nodded, but the rest of the ride he was completely silent, he didn't even spare the two a glance anymore. Somewhere silently, Chanyeol wondered if it was even safe to let Sehun be in charge of the driving, given how occupied he was in his head. Tho, that was also false. Sehun's head was empty. He simply couldn't allow more of those _'bad news'_ and _'bad feelings'_ in his life, it was all that orbited around him lately. 

'You two go, I'll wait here,' stopping in front of the small off-road store parking lot, Sehun announced.

'Alright,' Chanyeol was the one to answer and get out. Kyungsoo followed close by, silent as well. 

Once they were far enough from the car, Chanyeol sighed and glanced down at Kyungsoo, not feeling that weird twinge of excitement anymore. It made him amused and very scared, over how fast one realization made his feelings morph. 

'Why did you have to say that?'

'I hoped that would change his plans and he would take us home instead. Not continue this stupid rescuer mission of his, when he should instead spend his time with Suho. Not juggling our problems.'

'That's how he has always been,' Chanyeol mumbled, grabbing a basket and first thing heading to the alcohol section. 'He will put us above himself at any time of the day and you know it; so, how about not acting like this?'

'I tried to save him.'

'Save him from what?'

'The fate.'

A snort escaped the elf-eared male as he threw his shorter companion a bewildered look, half-way stuck in the process of putting two bottles of soju in the basket. 'Isn't that what fate is all about? No matter the turns and leaps you make, it will always catch up to you at the time it wants to.'

Kyungsoo bit down his bottom lip, stiffening an annoyed huff. Chanyeol was right after all.

'You're supposed to be the smart, witch or whatever,' Chanyeol continued.

'I'm not a witch.'

'Whatever.'

'Mutant bean sprout.'

'That's the best you got?'

'I can curse you!' Kyungsoo mocked back, sticking his tongue out at the taller.

'So can my _boyfriend_.'

Fate was inevitable. Maybe they had to say these words _out loud_ for them to finally actually make sense, given how they both froze in the aisle.

' _Boyfriend_ ,' Kyungsoo repeated, the word slowly and quietly falling over his lips.

Chanyeol nodded, shaking his head. 'I'll go pay.'

_'Okay.'_

Kyungsoo made it out of the store, his eyes stopping on Chanyeol's back like this one last time. He knew that, once he meets Kai, this twinge will die once and for all, when he looks at the puppy-like giant. This time he opened the front passenger seat door and buckled up the second he closed the door behind himself.

'Did you two fight?' Sehun asked immediately, tone not too interested and eyes glued to something on his phone. They both knew it was only an act to not trigger some heavy conversations and emotions. 

'No, but I think we put a part of us and our past behind.'

'Maybe that's for the best.'

'What's for the best?' Chanyeol asked as he crashed back in the backseat, followed by the sound of all the bottles brushing and hitting against one another. 

'Life,' was all the Sehun answered before pulling out of the empty parking lot and steering back on the relatively, same-empty roads. 

Their ride to the river was filled by complete silence. Sehun didn't notice it, but now that Kyungsoo wasn't joking around and bickering with Chanyeol in the backseat, he could feel the silence settle on them all very well. Once they were by the river parking lot, all three of them stayed in the car, frozen still. They could swear they already felt the three, _inhuman_ presences waiting for them.

'I swear, it feels like if I go out and see _him_ , I will step into another life,' Chanyeol whispered, he was the first to acknowledge these words.

Kyungsoo agreed with a hum. 'It feels like accepting and agreeing to a certain part.'

'I've already accepted them all. Now, _get out_.' Sehun was the one to groan out in annoyance and open the car door. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol followed right after him. 'Look, you two aren't high school students anymore. It is time to pull up big boy pants and accept life.'

'Why is _he_ lecturing us?' Kyungsoo leaned towards Chanyeol again, eyes boring right through Sehun's as he spoke, but still made pretend the younger wasn't there.

Sehun groaned again and turned on his heel, immediately walking away from the two and through the path that eventually lead to the river clearing.

'Oh Sehun!' Two, strong arms engulfed Sehun's frame as he returned the action and leaned his head on the red-haired demons shoulder. 'I missed you.'

'So did I.'

Shouts of the two other names could soon be heard and with the corner of his eye, Sehun saw the two friends of his wrapped up in tight hugs. 

'You really made them come here,' Suho took the others hand in his and lead him to the blanket sprawled across the sand. His feet were bare and he stretched his legs out, so the water washed over the tips of his fingers lightly. 

'I was not going to have those two lurking around us any longer.'

They laughed and their voices merged in harmony, accompanying each other softly in the ring of the light-hearted manner. 

The sun was slowly drowning behind the tree-tops, the whole sky drenched in bright red and orange. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had set up a fire place, Kai had dragged Kyungsoo for almost an ice-cold swim; now the two were huddled up under the same blanket, closest to the bonfire. Light chatter rang from all the couples, except Suho and Sehun. The human had his head against the demons shoulder again and was drifting off to sleep. Suho had pulled his legs to himself a long time ago, away from the water. Head sideways, he was observing Sehun's face and taking in every detail. He couldn't help the chuckle, when the humans head fell a bit forwards and almost rolled off his shoulder.

'Come on,' Suho patted his lap, 'lay down.'

Without an objection, Sehun did so, immediately sighing once he was down on his back, face up to the sky. Stars had started appearing. It was going to be a cloudless night, so the reds of the disappearing sun were gone very fast and they were left by the faint yellow of the fire. 

'This feels like _Heaven_ ,' Sehun mumbled as he opened his eyes and noticed Suho's staring right in his.

'Funny you say that to a _demon_ ,' Suho chuckled, the motion shaking up his entire body, therefore, Sehun's head as well. 'The stars are reflecting in your eyes.'

Sehun's eyes drifted to the sky for a split second, they truly were very bright. 

'It's beautiful.'

'What is?' Sehun asked back, a lopsided grin on his lips.

' _You_.'

'That is _so cheesy_.'

Suho only laughed back, but never adverted his gaze from Sehun's dark eyes. 

_'I love you.'_

The whole world was suddenly drowning in the darkest colours in Sehun's eyes. The stars that had been burning in hot white behind Suho's red hair suddenly were turned off, like someone higher above had turned off the lights. The bonfire wasn't a warm yellow, but a sinister red all of a sudden, and Sehun's breath was stuck in his throat.

'No,' his voice barely came out, 'take that back.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Suho! _Take it back!_ ' Sehun's desperate shout echoed over the tree-tops, over the still water. 'You can't-'

'What happened?!' Chanyeol was the first one to run towards them, Baekhyun trying to hold him back the best he could. 'What did you do?!' His rage was directed at Suho, but the Devil's eyes were watching his own feet and his head hung low. 

'Chanyeol, _stop_ ,' Baekhyun's hushed whispers were enough to make the taller male throw a questioning look at the other. 'The curse has come through. All they have are million seconds, that's all they have left.' 

'Sehun,' Suho's hands tried to cling on the humans frame, but all he could see were the tears that were falling off the males cheeks with no end. At first it was quiet, but soon heavy sobs riddled the silence with painful holes. 'Sehun, _please_ -'

'Why did you say it?' Were the only words that made it pass Sehun's lips as he allowed the demon to pull him close. His hands were clinging on his shit, but his face was buried in Suho's neck as the tears kept dampening his shirt. 

'I'm sorry,' Kai mumbled, after he had approached the two, after he had broken away from Kyungsoo's hands, that had been keeping him in place, away from the two. 

_'You're_ sorry?!' Two white eyes were staring right back into Kai's, once Sehun had pulled away. A red bruise had lined under his eye, but his posture was relatively still, frozen even. 'This is your fault, Kai!'

Sehun only closed his eyes, sighing out, when he could feel Suho's hand on his, pulling Sehun back in his embrace. 

'It's not his fault.'

'It will _forever_ be his fault in my eyes,' Sehun mumbled as he once again sent a glare at the other being. His eyes were watching he toes of his shoes, but Kyugsoo was latched on his hand, trying to pull him away.

'We _only_ have million seconds, Sehun. Do you really want to spend them in hatred?'

Only then did it actually click in his mind, it was all they left. The day they had dreaded was knocking on their doorstep. _The count had begun._


	13. Yours

'Why did you do that?'

'Oh Sehun, for the _hundredth_ time-'

'I know, but,' Sehun's breath fell over his lips in a sigh, heavy and - to say the least - sad. 'We could have had more time.'

'We could have _not_ ,' Suho mumbled back, his fingers reaching in Sehun's hair as he played with them. His hair looked very soft to the touch, but in reality it was rather stiff and hard to the touch, very obvious why it was so easy to comb it whatever way the human pleased to. The demons eyes wandered down to Sehun's face, that was half buried in his chest, arms wrapped tightly around the seemingly smaller males waist. He was gripping on the Devil like a child, breaths matched in sync with the rises and falls of Suho's. 'I said it, so you knew our time was now counted.'

' _Million seconds_.' The mumble left a tingling feeling on Suho's exposed skin, the younger males breath being that feather light. 'How much is that?'

'You didn't even do your research?' Sehun's head shook along with the chuckle that erupted from the demons chest.

He only answered with shaking his head in denial, which, again, almost made Suho laugh due to the tingling sensation. 

'I hoped we could avoid it,' Sehun finally answered. 

There was a moment of silence between them and all that filled the room between them were their uneven breaths. This wasn't a meaningful silence. It meant nothing. Not a thing was said in their thoughts during this absence of talks. It was dreading, how quickly all the underlined sentences they had directed towards each other before, suddenly became a pure nothing. 

'It's eleven days,' Suho finally answered. His fingers had stopped dancing with the dark locks of Oh Sehun's hair. Now, his hand simply rested on the younger males head, as if afraid he could get up and leave. 'Almost twelve.'

'Are you scared?'

'No.'

'You aren't?'

'I know what is going to happen, it doesn't scare me. What scares me is you.'

Sehun finally raised his head up, confusion written all over his face. 'Me?'

'Yes, you.' 

Suho's eyes held nothing. They weren't even red anymore, only a thin line around the deep black, was what reminded of what they were before. Somewhere Sehun wonders if what is happening actually, is Suho getting human. Maybe after these 11 days, instead of disappearing, he is going to turn human and then age alongside with Sehun. The world would get rid of the Devil, but Oh Sehun would have someone to love and someone that loves him, by his side. 

'What is so scary about me?'

A light chuckle left Suho's lips. He reached his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind Sehun's ear, resting his hand there - on the side of Sehun's face.

'You're going to move on, while I will watch from the Underground. Always watch you and know that I held you only for such a short while, compared to the lives I spent hidden.'

His tone was bittersweet, it came out warm and smooth, but laced with a thin garnish of sorrow. So inaudible, yet Sehun picked up on it almost immediately. If he hadn't noticed it before, then now he did - the way their bodies fell together. Perfectly. His nose fit perfectly in Suho's collarbone, the demons hand, however, perfectly cupped Sehun's cheek, their chests fell in place with every breath they took, but their legs stayed tangled like puzzle pieces coming together. Maybe he failed to notice it, because before they weren't this close. 

'I won't move on if I remember this,' Sehun's brows furrowed together as he spoke, 'and I will always remember.'

'Right,' eyes running all around the human males features, Suho answered with a smile. 'That's right.'

Sehun pretended to not notice the undertone in the others voice. He didn't want to know, because it could only mean bad news. He'd much rather save himself all the heartache he could. After all, there was so much more to come. 

'Are we heading out with the guys today?' Suho interrupted the silence after a short while, the invitation suddenly emerging in his mind again.

However, what Suho received, as an answer, was another groan, and this one it was a real heartfelt one.

'What?' The demon chuckled, topping it with a light poke in the males side. 

'You do know they plan it all in Kyungsoo's grandmas old place, right?'

'Well, what about it?' There was pure confusion on Suho's face, till it hit him. And, then he couldn't hold his laughter away at all. 'Are you still referring to that time we had that run-in, in her apartment?'

'Stop laughing!'

Nothing in Suho's expression meant actual mockery. His hand founds it's way back to Sehun's cheek, so he could turn the younger males face towards him, just so their gazes meet. 

'I wouldn't let a single thing happen to you.' And, he leaned in to press his lips against Sehun's forehead. 'Not ever.'

'Then you can do that starting now, because if we don't leave in 10 minutes, Kyungsoo will make sure we have some sort of another curse.'

It might just be, that they had been ignoring Sehun's phone - blowing up with notifications all around - buzzing on the nightstand nonstop. They knew that no one else could be the messenger, either Kyungsoo or Chanyeol. 

With a long groan, Sehun finally detached himself from Suho's warm embrace, earning a huff of disapproval from the said demon. The catch was in the fact they didn't have almost twelve days anymore. Three had already passed and this fourth one was also slowly, but surely, walking towards it's inescapable end. These four days, they had done nothing, but hold each other close, spend every second in each others presence and live like they didn't have to part. 

They got ready in the same room, packed together and left side by side, Might as well call them glued to each others side. 

'Can I drive?' Suho's eyes were big and sparkling - actually sparkling, like no joke, Sehun had no idea how he did that, but there were countless, tiny, anime sparkles in the demons eyes. 

Once Sehun had snapped out of the fact that Suho's eyes resembled two, tiny galaxies - he had to forcefully shake his head to snap himself out of it. 

'Do you even know how to?' Sehun asked, no trust whatsoever in his voice.

'Oh please, it's not like you drive a manual.'

Sehun shrugged. 'Fair enough,' and threw the keys at Suho, heading for the passenger seat. 'When and where did you learn to drive tho?' He asked again, halfway through buckling his seat belt up.

'I'll tell you when we're at Kyungsoo's.'

'Why?'

All Sehun received was a wink, and Suho had pulled out of the parking lot, smoothly driving out of it and on the street to reach the main highway. The trees around them, the road, that usually made Sehun fight with his easily distracted nature, had all disappeared now. His attention was on the man by the steering wheel. 

'Oh Sehun, we're here,' Suho laughed, placing his hand on Sehun's upper thigh. 

He seemed to be awfully stuck in daydreams these days. Well, the truth was different. His mind was non-stop spinning, coming up with plans, with which he could save the fate that was laid out for the two of them. 

Even when they stepped out of the car and headed to the backyard, where four other people were laughing and having grand time, when Suho raised his arm up to give them a cheerful wave and Kai had to avert his eyes with a shameful gaze coating them, even then Sehun was still stuck in his head.

'Sehun,' Kyungsoo's hand, that was now resting on his shoulder, but the older males dark, doe eyes were boring right into his, tore him out of the constant work of his mind. 'Physically you're here, but mentally you're in some different la-la-land.'

He ran his hands over his face and mimicked a little, once he realized how tensed he was this whole time, 'yeah, sorry.'

'What's up with you?'

'Where is _he_?' Sehun ignored the males question, noticing that Suho wasn't besides him for the first time in these almost four days. 

'Swimming with the others,' Kyungsoo's left eyebrow rose up in confusion. 'He asked you if you wanted to go, but you declined.'

'I did?'

'What is happening with you, Sehun...?'

A bitter smile was sent towards Kyungsoo, which was really enough to describe the whole deal. 

'I _have to_ do something, Kyungsoo. There _has_ to be a way.'

' _Maybe_...'

'What? What do you know?'

Sehun was now practically shaking the smaller male, grabbing both of his shoulders, he was leaning and bending out of his ways to just catch Kyungsoo's gaze, before the older could change his mind. Even if the idea was stupid, it would be better than nothing. After all, Sehun himself had come up with so many, stupid ideas, all of which would never come true, just to move forwards with stopping the inevitable. 

'We _change_ the curse.' Kyungsoo finally said, tired eyes connecting to Sehun's. 'The curse goes: _On the night in which Kares' love dies, the Devil will be chained in million chains, one for every day that Kares' heart spends bleeding in sorrow. Only the one, who cuts the last chain is worthy enough to also undo the chain that secures the Devil's heart of catching feelings. Once in love his days will tick out in million seconds and he shall watch his love forget him from the depths of Hell, once again carved in million chains that no one will undo._ '

'Yes?'

'So, what if we ask Baekhyun to add: _but, once he remembers, the gates of the Underworld will be open for the Devil, and he will be allowed to reunite with his love once more_.'

'That's perfect then! Since I won't even forget Suho, it's going to be only few seconds and he will be back.'

A bitter smile sparked on Kyungsoo's lips as he nodded his head at Sehun. The said male being too happy in his newfound solution to even notice the mortified expression of his smaller friend. _Once he remembers..._


	14. Slow Motion

'The water was so good,' was the first thing Suho said once he returned with everyone else - two demons and a Chanyeol - all dripping water. 

'NO, DO NOT! _SUHO!_ ' Sehun's shouts disturbed the pleasant silence the second Suho wrapped his arms around the younger male, hair dripping water, but the upper part of his body still relatively wet.

A snort erupted from the demon as he simply nuzzled his wet hair more against the crook of Sehun's neck. 'It's just water.'

'AND I AM JUST _NOT_ A TOWEL.'

The rest of them watched the scene with either grins on their faces or quite the bewildered expressions. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were all about that kind of interaction, especially when it came to those two. Kyungsoo had a soft smile, but Kai just couldn't help himself - guilt all over his face. If he had known that one day he will actually meet _'Kratos_ ' now deemed Do Kyungsoo - he would have never acted out on anger, hurt and all that. He understood, that what he had done to Suho was far worse than what was ever done to him. Now he understood that. What scared him, however, was the fact that Suho wasn't lashing out about it. He had accepted it, something the Devil never did. 

'Kai?' The male snapped out of his short self-pitying dialogue once a hand waved before his eyes, and a pair of concerned, dark orbs caught his. 'Everything alright?'

He only shrugged at Kyungsoo with a smile that came out painful and awfully forced. 

'Where did those two go?' Kai motioned with his head at the now empty seat, where Sehun and Suho had been bickering just moments away.

'Suho finally got Sehun to go and swim.' Kyungsoo immediately replied.

'He doesn't like water?'

'Sehun?' Kyungsoo asked back, for a second really not knowing the answer. 'I actually have no idea. He rarely ever joins in with us, if water is involved.'

'Why?'

'Beats me!'

However, behind the house, where a shallow lake had formed - well, it actually resembled a pond more than a lake - two silhouettes were carelessly walking towards the water.

'Come on~' Suho dragged the 'on' out like a child, begging it's parents to buy them some candy. 'The water is so warm!'

'Fine, you go, I'll follow you right behind.'

Not catching on this little scheme of Sehun's, Suho discarded his shorts and dived right into the water, apparently, this was the deep end. Otherwise he'd be eating sand and mud by now.

Sehun, however, stayed on the shore, a mischievous grin on his face as he waited for Suho to dive up and re-appear in his vision. But, the time ticked and there was still no sign of Suho. Could a demon even drown?

'Suho?' There was obvious distress in Sehun's voice. He stepped closer to the water. In small waves the water washed over his exposed feet, the wind picking up a little. 'Suho, this isn't funny!' At this rate he couldn't hear anything anymore, but his own heartbeat in his ears, and an eerie ringing. 

In few seconds he had pulled off his clothes - the pockets contained his car keys and phone, he had enough consciousness to not give those a bath - and dived right into the water. The water was surprisingly clear for the location it embodied. Truth is, Sehun just couldn't see a lot, given the fact that the only light came from somewhere behind the house in a faint, amber tone, cast by their dying down bonfire. The rest of the light came from the crescent moon and the stars. It was a clear night, so not that unbearably dark. Tho, it was still not bright enough for the underwater to be illuminated. 

Realizing that his breath was running short, Sehun had to swim back up, taking gulps of greedy breaths as he trashed himself to all sides in order to catch any movement.

'I am surprised,' a voice that was undeniably Suho's appeared from Sehun's back, so once he turned around he actually came face to face with the said Devil. Distress was evident as the moon itself in Sehun's eyes. 'You can't blame me for sometimes doubting that all of this is real. I am the Devil and humans fall for me, because of this... _naturally alluring_ aura, so I could then torment them-'

'Are you fucking _stupid_?' Sehun's voice was louder than it was usually, yet toned down enough. In a motion he was already before Suho, arms searching desperately for the places, where their bodies naturally fell together. 'God damn it, you cannot just play some high school jock games on me like that.'

Suho's own arms came around Sehun's body, pulling the younger against himself. 

'He has already damned it, Oh Sehun.'

'You're an absolute idiot. One could think you're the Devil, but the size of your brain can't be larger than a peanut.'

'So, you _humans_ can have doubts, but because I'm an extraterrestrial being I cannot doubt?'

'Are you using 16 letter words now to oppose my peanut brain argument?'

Suho only rolled his eyes with a laugh. He pressed his lips against the males forehead, leaning his cheek against the kissed spot afterwards.

'At least I got you in the water.'

'If I had known you'd pull something this stupid on me, I would have gone first.'

Fate knew he'd never have to go first to whatever it came, when it brushed the topic of them both. Be it death or anything much simpler. 

'By the way, this is bad timing, but Kyungsoo had an idea,' Sehun leaned a bit away, just to catch Suho's gaze.

'Idea about what?'

'The curse! We could change it, so-'

' _How_?'

'Ask Baekhyun to add: _but, once he remembers, the gates of the Underworld will be open for the Devil, and he will be allowed to reunite with his love once more._ '

Suho had practically no reaction. He definitely didn't look as happy as Sehun had, when the idea was said. 

Sehun's brows furrowed closer, this wasn't what he had expected. 'What's the matter?'

'Nothing,' a faint smile finally appeared on the demons lips, 'we should ask Baek then.'

So, they went, they got out of the water, dried themselves up and went to join back. They asked Baekhyun, they received forced smiles, they extended the curse right there and then. Once those words had fallen over Baekhyun's lips the bonfire died down, leaving them all in the dark. Sehun was asked to repeat the extension, if it was true and genuine - it would work. He repeated them and the fire re-appeared. So, it had worked. 

Only Chanyeol smiled a genuine joy, the rest were grim. That's till Baekhyun called the taller male to the side. Once they returned, he also had pity dancing in the light of his eyes, pity, sorrow, guilt and a whole other mix of emotions, that didn't fall in the ' _good_ ' spectrum. Sehun saw it all. They all failed to notice that the naive nature was so easily faked by him. He saw them all giving him looks that stuck to him like dirt and he desperately wanted to shake them off. What did they know he wasn't allowed to?

_'You'll find out soon enough,'_ a voice he could not really recognize at first taunted his mind.

'Did you hear that?' Sehun mumbled, leaning closer to Suho as he brought his arms around the demons right arm in a tight hold. 

Suho glanced up at the other, an eyebrow raised up in a question: 'hear _what_?'

A moment of silence passed in their stare-down before Sehun released the shorter ones arm and shook his head with a ' _nothing_ '. Having enough of the atmosphere of pitying looks, that actually made him hear things at this point, Sehun bid them all a goodnight and headed inside, up to the second floor, to a room which Kyungsoo had showed him and Suho earlier. 

The house, when entered, wasn't anything grand. The Victorian style mirrored inside as well. First when Sehun entered the house, he could already see the set of stairs that lead up to the second floor, the first room was something in the likes of a living room, with few, worn-down sofas, stand lamps and such. To his left was a kitchen, almost the size of the living room room, which the male wasn't surprised about, since he knew the Do family loved to cook, a passion that Kyungsoo also had taken on. To the left were two doors that lead to smaller rooms, one that was a bathroom door. For as far as he knew, the third room lead to the basement, where they grew some plants that needed special care. However, nothing, but lamps, tables and whatnot, that Sehun had no idea to name, was left here now, that the family practically didn't live here. The second floor consisted of a small reading area, right before the stairs, and a hallway with doors that lead to guest rooms. At the very end were two more bathrooms. The room, which Kyungsoo had shown Sehun earlier, was on the other side of the staircase, facing the reading area. He opened the door with no noise and closed it behind himself just as silently. The room had a big bed by the window, right by the wall, the window then facing the side of it and a nightstand with a lamp on the other side of the bed, a grey rug was peaking from underneath it. There was what appeared to be a very small wardrobe, and a, relatively as small, table, with two chairs. Sehun's backpack was on one of the chairs. He didn't even turn the lights nor the night lamp on, there was enough light cast from the fire outside and the porch lights, the moon appeared to be on the other side of the house, for it wasn't anywhere to be seen in the white, double hung window. 

Sehun took his time to change in another shirt and shorts before he heads to sleep, doing it very slowly, suddenly feeling very exhausted. His hair was still damp and as he changed his shirts it made a shiver run down his spine, the cold tips brushing against his neck like invisible fingers. 

The sound of footsteps could be heard outside the door, till they stopped and the door opened, revealing no one else, but Suho, which Sehun realized because of the thin line of red around his eyes. 

'You're not telling me something,' was the first thing the demon said after he had closed the door behind himself and made it over the small space of the room, besides Sehun.

'So are you.'

'Let's not get into this, Oh Sehun-'

'Then don't start it.'

'Would you really want this to be a part of our last days?'

Sehun stepped away a little, till he felt the bedside behind his legs. 'What do you mean? Baekhyun _extended_ the curse.'

' _Right_ ,' Suho chuckled a little, flashing a soft smile in the dark, which Sehun barely even caught. 'I still don't wish to fight.'

'Then lets head to bed.'

Sehun crawled in first, taking the place besides the wall, underneath the window. Once Suho had changed, he was quick to make it besides the younger male, arms immediately sneaking around Sehun's waist as he pulled him closer. 'Goodnight, Oh Sehun.'


	15. Mirror

_Red_. It's a colour of love and passion. Some associate it with anger as well. Technically, blood is also red, crimson red. The stoplight at the crossroads is red, which indicates - to stop. Take a moment, and let someone else pass. Flowers, with their gracious, fragile petals tend to mean numerous of things, if the God's finger has painted them red. Roses still declare love and passion, ones devotion to another. Spider lilies - they... If they bloom on a path one has walked, it means that was their last encounter with the other. Unfortunately, that is what Byun Baekhyun remembers about red in this exact moment. He doesn't remember the energy and confidence. He just knows it's over, because a bunch of the said flowers are blooming in radiant red, where Suho disappeared.

'Sehun, get up, _we have to_ -' Kyungsoo's pleads do not reach their youngest. 

'NO! You don't understand! LET GO OF ME! _SUHO_!'

His pained cries ring over the forest after one another, the river is still. Nothing, but curses steam pass his lips and nothing, but tears flow from his eyes in a neverending rush. Balled up fists hammer the ground that has bloomed a patch of red spider lilies beneath his knees, and he - Oh Sehun - loathes them. 

'SUHO!' He cries out again, voice cracking as it gives up. No human can bare a pain like that on their own. 'I remember you!! Suho, I remember! Please... I _beg_ you, _come back to me._ '

It hurts to watch. It is so unbearably painful to watch Sehun scream at the few, faint, red lines drawn across the ground, where it had swallowed their ruler just seconds ago. Suho's last kiss still lingering on the younger males pale lips. 

'I...' he choked pass his tears, ' _remember_... I remember. Come back!'

'Kai, _please_ , we need to get him away. The Hell is still open and he's someone way too close to Suho, we have to get him out of here,' Kyungsoo pleaded, eyes staring into Kai's, searching for approval. Of course, the demon didn't want to act out like this, he really just hated to use any form of spells on humans. Then again, they all knew Sehun wasn't exactly that human to begin with. 

A sigh first answered Kyungsoo, making the doe-eyed male crack a look more pleading at the taller demon. 'Kyungsoo-'

'We don't have much time!' Baekhyun chimed in, distress all over his voice. 'Not to make you all move or anything, but we will have to deal with Kris if we stay any longer! There has been a ruckus too loud for him to not notice.'

'Kris?' Kyungsoo asked once more, but it seemed that whoever this Kris person was - it was enough to get Kai moving on an instant.

'Sehun,' he coed softly, cupping the youngest face between his palms as he tilted Sehun's tear stained face upwards. Eyes locked with his, he smiled softly, mouthing a quiet: ' _sleep_.'

Sehun blinked once, twice and the third time was far slower, his body already titling forward. Chanyeol was first to rush forwards, despite Kai's protests. 

'I'm not letting any of you lay a finger on him anymore,' weirdly enough, as Chanyeol spoke, his eyes were trained on Kyungsoo only, not even Kai, who was basically crouched besides Chanyeol. With the younger male in his arms, Chanyeol threw a glance at Baekhyun for a brief moment: 'head home, I'll stay with him for some while.'

'Chanyeol, wait!' Kyungsoo called out, taking two or three strides to cover the empty space. 'I'll go along! I'm his guardian.'

'You've been promoted to a bystander,' the way Chanyeol said it, with the disapproval in his eyes so clear, Kyungsoo wasn't able to stutter a word back.

They all stared as Chanyeol's broad back disappeared between the trees and bushes, finally eaten up by the night dusted forest completely.

His steps were steady through the darkness, but his whole body was fueled with so much anger, he didn't feel even a single strain on his muscles after having carried the younger male, who was almost Chanyeol's own height, through the whole forest and to his car. 

'I'm sorry, Sehunnie.' Chanyeol said once he had placed the sleeping male in the passenger seat of his own car, relieved to see the peaceful mask of sleep on Sehun's face. 'I had no idea, what Junmyeon's true nature was. If I had known sooner... If Baekhyun had told me sooner, what is _actually_ going to happen, when your time with him ends. Kyungsoo did nothing to protect you. All the while knowing this - he couldn't keep you safe.' 

That way he monologued with himself through the car drive, even when Sehun was already set on his bed, back in his apartment, tucked away in soft blankets. Vivi took it as his call to jump on the bed and curl by Sehun's side, giving Chanyeol a curious glance.

'Oh, Vivi,' Chanyeol sighed, a sigh so heavy as if he had been working all day long. 'You felt it too, didn't you? That something was wrong about all this, right? We all failed to protect him. I don't think they even tried to. I mean, Baekhyun and Kai. Kyungsoo probably did his best till some point.'

'Chanyeol?'

'Sehun!' The taller males eyes lit up with joy, when the younger cracked his eyes open and threw a sleepy glance around his surroundings. 'Kai said you might have a headache, so if you do - I'll go hunt for some painkillers right away!'

'A headache?' Sehun arched an eyebrow. He supported himself up on his elbows, slowly looking around the room, eyes observing every corner, especially the shadow coated ones. 'Why would I have a headache? Hyung, what date is it?'

Chanyeol swallowed quickly, staring dumbfounded at Sehun. Had it _already_ taken a tool on him?

' _Suho..._ ' a whimper left the males thin lips and tears found their way back from his eyes to cheeks. Chanyeol doesn't know why, but the second all emotions flew back into Sehun's face - he felt relieved. He didn't want Sehun to forget, he didn't want for the not so human male to fade away from Sehun's life. He had a part in it and a big one. Not once had Chanyeol seen Sehun be so alive, so happy and fulfilled. He hated Kyungsoo for even thinking that: _'this is for the best. As his protector I have to keep him away from the Devil, Chanyeol. When you get home, don't mention Suho. Let him forget, his part in this world is over.'_

'Hyung, I haven't forgotten, why-'

'I know, I know, Sehunnie,' he mumbled once he had climbed in the bed besides Sehun and pulled him in a tight embrace, cradling him like a lost and hurt child. Sehun's hands gripped on Chanyeol's forearm with such strength the male would've yelled out in slight pain, if not for the current situation. What was the nibble of his grip compared to the heart wrenching sound of Sehun's broken sobs? 

'Hyung, I need him.'

'I know.'

_'I need him so much._ '

Nothing else, but a couple more of _'I know'_ is all that Chanyeol could muster. He feared his voice would break if he said anything else. It didn't take all too long for Sehun to fall back asleep. Kai had added, that if he woke up, chances are he will soon fall back asleep. Now he understood why. The more time passed - the more Sehun would forget, and the only place where he couldn't find or seek a single reminder was in sleep. A sleep with no dreams, just a black void, where time passed for his memories to slowly fade out. 

Deep inside, Chanyeol hated himself for being such a coward and not reminding the younger, every second he was awake, of Suho. He's not even too sure Baekhyun would back him up if he decided to help Sehun remember. If Kyungsoo said it was for the best - Kai agreed, and since Kai was stronger than Baekhyun, the latter followed the other demons decision almost immediately. However, what tore him the most, is the fact he knew Sehun would never turn his back on the others the way they had.

He got up from the bed and tucked the younger back in, turned off the lights and set for the guest bedroom, just on the other side of the paper thin walls. If Sehun woke up - he would know. Vivi's gaze followed him till the exit and being as gnawed up by guilt as he was now, Chanyeol almost thought he could see a message in the dogs eyes, that read: _'this is going to be your fault, coward. He's hurting, because you cannot stand on your own, two legs'._

Back in the guest room, he stood before the only mirror in the room, tired, red and puffy eyes staring back at him. For a moment, somewhere in the depths of his own dark eyes, he saw a pair of red staring back. Without a doubt - mimic of Suho's. 

'I'm sorry,' he whispered, tears already flowing over his eyes like two waterfalls.

' _It's okay,_ ' and the eyes squeezed in a painful smile. _'I don't expect you to stand up against them. Take care of my Sehun.'_

Till the morning, when Sehun woke, Chanyeol had stayed awake in his bed, wondering, if he was so torn, that he had imagined it. Something told him it wasn't his imagination playing tricks on him, but actually Suho reaching out.

'Chanyeol!' Sehun barged in the room. 'What was I doing this whole time?! I have to leave for studio in two days and I don't have a piece of clean clothing!'

He would've laughed and gotten up to help the younger in a heartbeat, but all he could do is choke on a wretched sob breaking free from his throat. Just like that, _Sehun had forgotten._


	16. What if I said

'Where the fuck is he?' Beads of sweat rolling down the males tanned forehead (He was spending a lot of time outside gardening, the sun did it's job in painting him a shade or two darker), Kyungsoo barged inside Oh Sehun's spacious apartment. Toben barked at his feet instantly, Vivi sending the doe-eyed male a heartfelt glare.

'Toben?' Kyungsoo'a voice was now laced with distress to no extent. 'What are you doing here?'

'Leave my dog alone,' Chanyeol's 185 centimeter figure appeared in the doorway of Sehun's guest room. 'We could ask you the same thing. What are _you_ doing here?'

'Chanyeol, _thank goodness_ ,' a heave of relief rollover over Kyungsoo's lips, but it was short lived, seeing how dense was Chanyeol's entire form at the sight of him. Something was clearly up. 'Where is Sehun?'

'In Busan.'

' _Busan_?!' 

'Yes.'

'What is in Busan?'

Chanyeol couched down, patting his legs and the two dogs immediately strolled to his side, paws on the males legs and tails wagging energetically. He fished out a few dog treats out of his back pocket and fed them one by one, earning cute glances from Vivi and overall awful behaviour from Toben. That made a sigh pool out of Chanyeol's lungs. How did Sehun train Vivi to be so good? 

'Chanyeol!' 

'Oh, right...' Kyungsoo's mouth hung open at the realisation Chanyeol had forgotten of his presence before him. 

' _Oh, right_?!' Kyungsoo yelled out, taking a step towards the slightly older, head taller male. 'Can you fucking fix your attitude? Where is Sehun?'

Well, it's light to say Chanyeol had to channel all of the angels inside of himself to keep his mouth shut and not pull the collar of Do Kyungsoo's shirt to throw him out.

'I've really had it up until _here_ ,' Chanyeol dragged his thumb across his throat with a low growl at Kyungsoo, 'with you.' 

The said male smirked, taking in Chanyeol's crouched up position on the floor, and crossed his arms with a snort. 'That's not all too much.'

It only took a second more for him to stand up and straighten his back completely to tower above the other like a skyscraper. 

'Take another glance, pipsqueak.'

'Since when do you talk back?'

'Since the time you watched me suffer, all the while knowing I was trapped by a demon and I loved you! I loved you so much, Kyungsoo, but you spit in my soul just like that!'

'You think it was all that easy?' He suddenly bust out in a wave of curses. _'Oh, Kyungsoo, you knew it all along!'_ He mocked. 'What could _I_ do against a _demon_ , Chanyeol? You think I didn't love you?!'

'You're a coward,' all the rage was suddenly washed away from Chanyeol's face and tone. All there was - disappointment and disapproval. 'If I had known what you knew - I would take action. If our places were switched I'd take you away from the demon. To Hell with us, but the fact you doomed Sehun!'

'Sehun won't even remember!'

'And, can you live with the guilt now?'

'What other choice do I have?'

Maybe if was in the way they both were raised. Kyungsoo was raised with the thought of protecting someone he didn't know if he had even met, until Oh Sehun appeared and he knew for sure. He wasn't supposed to look for the best way, but for the safest way. However, Chanyeol was always raised to chase his feelings. If he felt wronged about something - he would scream and run after it until it was right. So, right now, he couldn't do anything, but wordlessly stare at Kyungsoo.

'Sehun has performances in Busan. Were you a good enough friend, you'd know he has a job. I'm here to watch the apartment and Vivi,' Chanyeol's monotone voice was as cold as ice if not even far worse. 

'Since when does he ask you to do?'

'Get out, Do Kyungsoo.'

'Chanyeol-'

' _GET OUT!_ '

Vivi whimpered at the sudden loudness of Chanyeol's tone and Toben froze in his spot, taken aback by the rage falling off of Chanyeol. 

Without anymore words spoken, Kyungsoo turned on his heel and left the apartment, shutting the door behind himself quietly. 

Chanyeol fell back, right on the spot where he had crouched down with the dogs, back resting against the chill, white wall. It's mesmerising, how quickly their whole world was trashed upside down and changed to an indistinguishable facade. One of mistrust and constant fights. One, where the walls of their friendships continued crumbling down at a rocket speed. This torment didn't last all too long. A buzz of his phone destroyed the mirage of self-pity and depression on an instant. 

Once he reached the phone he answered the call at the speed of light. The caller was Sehun.

_'Hyung!'_ He yelled out the second Chanyeol had picked up, not even able to say a greeting. _'I don't know what happened.'_

'What do you mean?' The distress in the younger males voice made Chanyeol's mind start pacing around the apartment.

_'I was setting to bed. Got under covers and- the doorway.'_

'What about it?'

_'It is going to sound crazy, I know, but,'_ Sehun swallowed hard before continuing, _'something happened. I can't remember what, but I have this urge inside of me, like the doorway means something. Like someone should be there. Watching. But, I have paced the room thousand times and even checked for cameras. No one and I mean absolutely no one is here.'_

Chanyeol has a fair idea, that maybe it's how he first met Suho. If he wrecks his brain hard enough, he can even remember the time Sehun told him about Suho. He had caught Sehun in his own apartment and made a dramatic entrance.

'Sehunnie, it's because of that prank Kyungsoo pulled, when he ended up at your house at the dead of the night.' The lies spilled over his tongue and into Sehun's ears and subconsciousness almost too easy. 'Nothing and no one is there.' 

_'Yeah... yeah, you must be right. I'm sorry, you were probably sleeping already.'_

'No, it's okay. Kyungsoo had stepped by, I had my company.'

_'What did he want?'_

What _did_ he want? Was it paranoia that made Kyungsoo still check up on Sehun nonstop or was there something he was hiding. At this rate Chanyeol had no more trust left, he wouldn't be surprised if it ended up with the realization of Kyungsoo hiding something more. He probably even knew how to fix this whole mess.

'Nothing. Just running by.' Chanyeol finally answered.

_'I see. Well, thank you for listening.'_

'Of course, Sehunnie.'

_'By the way, Hyung, if you want to and can, you should come by the studio.'_

'Go to Busan?'

_'Yeah! The complex around the studio is beautiful! We are allowed to have visitors and I could introduce you to some people. I'm teaching my vocal instructor Lu Han some dance, you should meet him.'_

An absent-minded smile spread on Chanyeol's lips at that. 'Vocal?'

_'Yeah, he said he wanted to learn dance along with his friend. But, Lu Han is a vocal coach and his friend is responsible for rap. It's crazy - he's even taller than you!'_ The enthusiasm in Sehun's voice was so bright it was almost unbelievable. _'So, to teach them dance here and there, they teach me their things.'_

'That sounds good.'

_'It is! I must sleep now tho, Kris said we have to practice in the morning. He has business to take care of later.'_

_Kris..._ On the night of Suho's disappearance, Kris was the name the demons mentioned. Just thinking about it made all the hairs on Chanyeol's arms rise.

'I will take the morning train to Busan then.' Chanyeol knew if it was really, who the bunch had talked about in hushed whispers - it was no good deal. 'Goodnight, Sehun.'

_'Sweet dreams, Hyung.'_

Absent-minded, Chanyeol headed to Sehun's room, reaching for the mirror he now kept hidden under a piece of fabric. He looked into his reflection. 

'Suho-' Chanyeol began, but suddenly felt very stupid. He was in his best friends room, talking to a mirror, in hopes of reaching a demon, he once saw in a mirror. He had to take a moment and shake his head to restore his thoughts and put them all back in the right shelves. Brows furrowed he stared back in the mirror, searching the depths of his own dark eyes. 'If you are there, you have to know Kris and someone named Lu Han is with Sehun now. I don't know, who they are, but I know they are bad news. I'll need all the help you can give me.'

There was no answer, like last time, not even a flash of signature red, that would let Chanyeol knew of Suho's presence, but a wave of strength washed over him, making him look down at his balled up fists. When he looked up again, a pair of white eyes were staring back at him instead of dark brown, similar to how Sehun's eyes had tinted. Whatever it was that Suho was lending him, he knew it wouldn't work forever, but for now it was more than enough.

*** * ***

'And, this is how we end!' Sehun beamed in the mirror, looking at the tall, rather lanky male, who had managed to mimic all the moves surprisingly well. 'It's essential to remember this move, because it's the base for like 50% of the endings for dances. Very concentrated on the base underneath your feet.' 

'I wish I knew how much balance this required,' the other male laughed, picking up a towel to wipe away the sweat that was pooling around his forehead and already dripping from the silver-blond strands that freely hung above his forehead. 'Would've practiced some balance exercises or something.'

Sehun only lightly snorted at the comment, mimicking the taller males actions and bringing his own towel up to his face.

'You'd have to start that at least two or three months before dancing then.'

'Okay, that is just a bit too much dedication for someone like me.'

A smile was playing on Sehun's lips as he took a step towards his _'student'_. 

'I think you're pulling it off very well.'

'Just well? Not amazing~?'

'I didn't expect you even to get this far, Kris!' 

With a side-eyed, playful glare, Kris picked up his bags, ready to set out to the showers. 'Honest for a brat, you are. Anyways, Lu Han and I are hanging out later, care to tag along?'

'Can't,' Sehun denied softly, taking his bags and turning off the speakers and whatnot. 'A friend is coming over, have to wait for him.'

'Don't forget to introduce us to him, Sehunnie.'

'I won't!' He chimed back, locking the studio behind them and setting on his way back to the rooms. 

It took him around a five minute walk to get to his room. He carelessly threw all the bags down by his bed and immediately removed his sweat drenched shirt. Once in the bathroom he made his way to the mirror, looking at his own, a little disheveled appearance after the practice. 

For a second he could have sworn he saw a pair of red eyes staring back at him. They were looking right at him, pleading, as a reminder of something he should simply know, but the second he blinked he saw them no more and with that the reminder was gone also. The male then shrugged with a laugh and headed to clean up.

'Get yourself in your hands, Sehun, there's nothing there.'


	17. Jekyll

'Hyung!' Sehun beamed, wrapping Chanyeol in a tight hug and giving it an extra squeeze for the fun of it. 'I'm glad you made it.'

'You're awfully affectionate,' Chanyeol chuckled, half barely suppressing a snort in the process. However, he still couldn't resist the sigh of relief when he saw and managed to embrace the younger male. The thought of Kris was stuck in his mind for good and the thought that Suho had done something to increase his power - even more. No idea what it was, that he had done. 

Sehun pulled away, hands on Chanyeol's shoulders as he kept the slightly taller male in place, to peer into his eyes for a bit. His brows furrowed slowly, but surely making a crease form between them. Chanyeol gulped. Had it been this easy for the younger male to see right through him?

'Are you wearing contacts?'

'What?'

'Your eyes look a bit lighter than usually, and there's like a glow of white around your iris,' Sehun leaned in closer, squinting hard to see better. 'Yeah, right there.'

Chanyeol laughed. It was a very awkward laugh and honestly - he was stuck, not being able to come up with a reply or any sort of convincing lie.

'Baekhyun wanted me to try them, guess I forgot about them.'

'Baekhyun?' Sehun's brow arched with the question and he finally let go of Chanyeol. 'Oh right, your boyfriend. Sorry, it's like the past few months are all jumbled up in my mind and thrown to random places,' he mumbled. Sehun's whole face had darkened with that, it seems like the younger male was in a debate about his own memory, seeing as he had once more just forgotten something as important as Chanyeol's other half. 'How is he?'

'Good. He's- _good_.' There was no denying the fact Chanyeol felt guilty. He felt like it would only take one word to bring all that happened in these few months back to Sehun's mind, but he couldn't. Who knows how he would react and how much time it would take for him to calm down? Maybe he felt better not knowing? The older male knew very well he was trying to excuse his wrongdoings, by reassuring himself like this. To soften his own fault in this. 

'Yeol?'

Chanyeol only looked up at the nickname, looking straight at Sehun.

'Do you ever feel like something is missing?'

And, that tore the last bits of whatever walls Park Chanyeol had managed to build up. His eyes were pooling up with tears as he dropped to his knees before Sehun, who had taken a seat on the couch with that question.

'Sehun, you _have_ to remember!' He took the younger males hands in his, ignoring the confusion and visible worry in Sehun's face. 'Think about it! Think about what happened during these months!'

An awkward laugh pressed out of Sehun's lungs as he was trying to get away from the hysterical hurricane that was Park Chanyeol. 'I was with you... guys.' However, he knew exactly what Chanyeol meant. Something just didn't add up. 

'Sehun!' Chanyeol yelled out, shaking their hands, getting really desperate to bring anything back in the younger males head. 'Junmyeon! You have to remember him!'

' _Junmyeon_?'

'The person you love! Suho!'

He could see it in Sehun's eyes - the realization hit him ass he froze on the spot, eyes widening by a fraction. ' _Suho.._.'

'Yes!' And, with that, both of them were crying like two toddlers on the loose, just having freedom, but not really knowing what to do with it. 'The curse and Kai! Do you remember now?'

'I DO!' Sehun jumped up on his feet, nearly kneeing Chanyeol right in the face, which really would've happened if not for the fact he fell flat on his back with the force with which Sehun had jumped up. 'Hyung... Why didn't anyone remind me? Is that a part of a plan?'

Once Chanyeol had stood up, Sehun was able to freely look at the guilt that spilled out of his eyes like a cursed waterfall.

'It is a part of a plan,' he began slowly, 'but not one to help you.' 

With a light shake in understanding, Sehun looked away. With the back of his hand he wiped away the tears that had stained his cheeks and with a new breath he wiped away the affection he felt for his friends back at home. He already knew it was Kyungsoo's doing without another word from the yoda-eared male. Somehow, he now had a much better understanding of this protector deal than ever before.

'Kris and Lu Han wanted to hang out later. Introduce you to him,' Sehun mumbled.

'There's a whole deal about those two too,' a low mumble was exchanged for an answer. 'I have an idea. We're gonna get you a notebook, where you can write everything down, read the info in the mornings and remember everything!'

A smile formed on Sehun's lips as he nodded, already heading to pick a notebook or at the very least a paper to write on for starters. Once he had actually fished out a thin notebook, with few, torn-out pages and set by a table in the kitchen, a good amount of time had managed to pass. Then they started writing down all they could remember. Starting from his very first meeting with Suho, he described the dread, the fear and the realization, that the Devil was actually harmless as he spent more and more days with him. He wrote about the trip to Kyungsoo's aunt and how Suho had snapped for the first time, he wrote about Byun and Kai, Chanyeol filled him on few other details about those two. He wrote down all the curses that had tied their fates. Starting from the knife, to their main curse and ending with what Baekhyun had later told Chanyeol about spider lilies. 

Once the notebook was filled till the middle and two boxes of pizza were taking up the rest of the space on the table, a coffee jug and two mugs rowed on the windowsill besides them - they had emptied their minds of all the memories and things they had learnt these past months.

'It's a lot,' Sehun sighed as he went through the pages once more, his memory fully intact. 'Do we know how long it takes for me to forget months worth of memories?'

Chanyeol shook his head as he took the final sip of his coffee. 'We don't. From all I've observed it could be seconds or hours, maybe even days.'

'And, what about Kris and Lu Han?'

'Right,' Chanyeol's brows were once again knitted together, which, as Sehun had learnt in these past hours, was a sign of intense thinking and possible bad news. Maybe not both of those all the time, but at least one of the reasons for sure. 'The demons mentioned Kris' name when the gateway to Hell had closed down, the second Suho had been taken back. They haven't told me anything ever since. Kyungsoo knows what it is, I'm kind of the only one that never gets any details. Baekhyun keeps shut, since he's a class below Kai, and this weird, stupid Demon Hierarchy doesn't allow him to speak about the things the rest are keeping a secret.'

'Bullshit.'

'Tell me about it.' Chanyeol put the mug aside with a loud thud, almost breaking the said thing. 'Anyways, I saw Suho in the mirror on the night, when he disappeared. So, when I learnt that Kris is with you, I asked him for help.'

'He answered?'

'Not really, but I got some sort of a power. If just a name can make the Devil lend his powers to someone as clueless as me - we must be in deep trouble.'

A wicked grin, is the only way Chanyeol could describe the expression on the younger males face now.

'We have a date with two demons then~'

And, a gulp is what followed from Chanyeol.

On the daily, he was now surrounded by these creatures, he was even dating one. If the term dating meant the same thing underground that it did in their lives, that is. Park Chanyeol had even met two angels, that really- well, they weren't the best kind exactly, but did their job with the white wings behind their backs, halos and some menacing purity to their aura. However, to know that there was a demon, that some of the strongest demons feared - well, it's safe to say Chanyeol was not excited to meet him. Besides, of course, Sehun was the one that had head first met up with it. All the while being completely clueless about his nature.

_'Okay, Kris, we'll be down soon!'_ And, once Sehun had ended the call, he yelled: 'CHANYEOL, THEY'RE WAITING FOR US OUTSIDE!'

'Sehun, I don't know the regular prayer.'

_'What?'_

'I'm not going there until I've asked to be protected.'

'The Devil is protecting you, let's go!' Sehun took the the males hand and dragged him out.

'Is that supposed to make me feel better?'

'Well,' Sehun chuckled, 'he is my boyfriend.'

Together they strolled down the stairs, reluctant to even meet the two demons (well, one of them was a demon, they weren't sure what was up with Lu Han). Chanyeol was taking some extra time on his phone, making Sehun peer over his shoulder, to see what he was looking at.

'Protection charms?' Sehun snorted, almost missing a step.

'All of these have holy water, how do I make it?'

'Simple.' Sehun said with a grin, almost at the lobby of the apartment complex, the two silhouettes visible from the door. 'You boil the _Hell_ out of it.'

_Silence_. All Chanyeol wanted to do was smack Sehun's head upside down. However, before he could think up an insult back, Sehun had already opened the door and two curious faces were staring right back at him. Damn, Kris really was taller than Chanyeol himself, _show-off_. So, his theory about Demons being smaller so they can contain and boil their rage better was false. Unless Kris had a lot of anger. 

' _Heavens_ ,' he mumbled, suddenly becoming still, scared. If so far he was all up for trying to help Sehun, then now he wanted to pack his bags, throw Sehun over his shoulder and move far away. The dark aura that was looming around the two newcomers looked like a disease, it was sticking to all parts of their body, looking like dark smoke or a dark substance dripping from their arms and neck. The friendly smiles Chanyeol had seen were grins, that stretched from ear-to-ear, revealing shark-sharp teeth and menacing intentions. These were the kinds of monsters parents told their kids about, these were the kind of creatures, that lived under beds and dragged poor souls into darkness.

'I'm Lu Han! Nice to meet you Chanyeol, Sehun has told us so much about you!' The yoda-eared male then looked down at the shorter males hand. It was clawed, completely black, like he had dragged his arm through soot or pitch black ash. 

' _Hyung_ ,' Sehun elbowed Chanyeol's side. With the action, their monstrous looks seeped inside their bodies and all that was left were two, normal people looking back at him. 

Chanyeol took another glance at Lu Han's hand, and seeing as it was normal now - gave it a firm shake. Right after doing so with Kris too.

_'You've seen what they are, Chanyeol.'_ A voice rang inside his mind. _'It is your job now to make sure Oh Sehun doesn't fall for their claws.'_

'Sorry, I'm just low on sleep and way too high on caffeine,' he laughed it off. 'Maybe just amazed to see someone taller than me,' Chanyeol then gave Kris a toothy grin, turning on what he called a ' _puppy facade_ '.

A light snort rang from Kris side as he took a step back to Lu Han, 'are you the tallest in your company?'

'Indeed I am!' 

With that, they set for their cars. Kris taking Lu Han in his, but Chanyeol setting with Sehun. Once they started driving, Chanyeol was dead silent.

'What happened there?' Sehun asked, rubbing a hand over his forehead. 

'I saw them. Their real forms, then Suho spoke to me.'

It would be the filthiest of lies if Sehun denied he didn't feel a pinch of jealousy in his chest upon those words. He was jealous, that Chanyeol had the opportunity to be on a close line with Suho, but he wasn't even allowed to remember him. 

'Sehun, I don't think we can take them on.' The whisper, in which Chanyeol said those words, there was anxiety and such fear, Sehun though that Chanyeol might break down in a panic attack any second. 'It's just- _way worse_ than I thought it would be. The claws, the wretched grins, the teeth and the darkness. There's nothing human about them. Sehun is... _Is Baekhyun like that too?_ '

'I don't know,' his lips were pressed in a thin line as he was concentrating on the back of Kris' car to not lose their path. 'I think we would've seen it if they were. All of them.'

'Probably.'

The rest of the car-ride was spent in dread and silence. Sehun wasn't paying it all a lot of attention. Mainly because he wasn't scared. He had seen Suho's 'true' form and he knew that it didn't make him love the male less. If these two held any answers - he'd take them, even if in the end they would leave him crumbled. When the car before them parked away, so did they. Stepping out in what appeared to be a small bar.

'Welcome to my favourite spot!' Lu Han exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air like an excited child. Chanyeol would've deemed it cute - since Lu Han's face was quite the opposite of what he was inside - tho he couldn't, the realization over how deceiving their looks were making his stomach do a flip. 'A karaoke bar!'

'I tried to talk him out,' Kris sighed as he opened the door for everyone. 'But, he said that Sehunnie was so well trained now he needed to show this newfound skill of his.'

'I'll be like those idols soon enough,' Sehun laughed, entering after Lu Han. 'Dance, rap and singing. The whole package.'

'You're already far more than that,' Chanyeol laughed, patting the younger males back as he entered after Sehun, Kris following him close behind.

The bar was quiet and there was quite the bit of a smoke cloud, coming from the smokers area. However, none of them seemed to notice it. The four proceeded to get themselves a room and order a couple of drinks, along with food. 

'They're seriously the best,' Lu Han continued talking as they made it to their room, 'the food is like at a restaurant, even tho they have the karaoke focus!'

However, the room was dimmed down, with lights and colourful decors. Of course, the karaoke machine taking a great part of the room, giant, neon shining screen greeting them.

'Actually, you know,' Sehun suddenly exclaimed, 'we had too much coffee, so I'll go find the restroom.'

This was Chanyeol's worst nightmare - the doors closed behind Sehun, and he was left with the two demons, that stared at him with fire burning in their eyes.

'So, Park Chanyeol,' Kris stepped closer to him, 'what _exactly_ are you?'

And, suddenly, the air was knocked out of his lungs with the force he was pushed against the wall, a large hand on his neck to keep him in place. 

'You smell of Arae,' Lu Han's sickish grin appeared in his field of vision as the male leaned in closer.

'Baekhyun,' Chanyeol snarled back, trying to contain whatever was bubbling in his chest to throw them off. 'Not Arae.'

'So, you two are with them! Sehunnie was particularly reeking of our beloved Suho, but, rumor has it, our Leader is back in the underworld~ So, just what are you two up to?'

_'Don't fight it,_ ' the voice was back in his head.

So, he didn't. He allowed the anger and fear mix inside of him, giving him the best of strength to take Kris' hand and push it away from himself, pushing the male back stumbling as well.

'Whatever it is - it's not your business.'

Kris looked taken aback, it was impossible for a human to exceed more strength than a demon. 'But, Sehun doesn't know anything about this, does he?' Kris grinned. 'The kid is clueless.'

'Look, Yeol,' Lu Han raised his hands up. 'We all have the same goal here - keep Suho underground.'

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at them. 'What good does it do to you two?'

'You are his protector, right?' Kris began, making Chanyeol realize that they had assumed wrong, 'you need the Devil chained away. I am the rightful demon to take the throne, but I can't do it if Suho is messing up my path. The second I take over - Hell is no longer his.'

'And, you can do it by-?'

'Not by, Yeol,' Lu Han interrupted, 'but with! I'm sure you've seen Sehun isn't exactly human. He is the key to take over this side of reality.'

'And, if we have the upper world, so do we have the underworld. With a tiny, little, helpless Devil chained up as a bonus. He'd do everything for us to not hurt his Sehun. Which we, of course, won't do.'

'Won't do what?' Sehun appeared, swinging the door open with a curious glance.

'Start the song without you, of course,' Lu Han smiled, taking the remote in his hand to pick a new song.


	18. No time for mixed apologies

'Keep him down?' Sehun asked again, once the two of them had returned to the apartment, Chanyeol had blurted out everything. 'And, I am the weapon?'

'Sehun, they are demons! We can't trust anything they're saying. They could be making this up in order to keep us at bay.'

'And, what if they are right? Would it mean that Suho was using me?'

Chanyeol rolled his eyes, taking a seat besides the younger male on his bed. 'Don't be ridiculous. There's a whole curse covering you two, which doesn't even allow him to get to you. Think of it, if he needed to use you - wouldn't have he already taken over everything, knowing he had so little time left?'

'Okay, then why isn't he here, now that I remember him?' Sehun asked back. 'It literally makes no sense when it was the curse!'

A sigh left Chanyeol's lips. Well, he did not have all the answers.

'I don't know, Sehunnie. Don't you think it would be too easy like this?' He shrugged. 'There's probably more to it we don't know.'

'You're right. Let's just go to sleep already, it's late.'

Chanyeol only nodded and stood up, leaving the other for some time to think. They thought they would have some answers by now, but what they got instead were more troubles. Luck really wasn't shining on them. When Chanyeol hit the couch in the living room, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. All the dread had left his system and the power, which Suho had lent him over, was now gone, leaving Chanyeol a vessel of fatigue and exhaustion.

His eyes closed on an instant, mind easing into dreamless slumber. Chanyeol only awoke, when the smell of delicious coffee lured him out of sleep, and someone was softly humming to a song on the radio. Which, after a bit of listening, Chanyeol understood, without a doubt, was Sehun. Sure enough, in few seconds the younger male, his hair a disheveled mess, resembling a birds nest, appeared from behind the kitchen wall, carrying two mugs of steaming coffee. He placed them both by the couch, on the floor and took a seat besides them, crossing arms on the couch and leaning down on them. 'Morning.'

'It's hard to realize you're an adult of your own,' Chanyeol mumbled, getting up on his elbows, glancing over the couch to see where the mug with the delicious, black substance went. Sehun only laughed at that comment. Chanyeol's face suddenly became rather grim, brows furrowed. 'Did you-? _Read-?_ '

'Yes, the notebook, don't worry.'

Chanyeol exhaled in relief and took the coffee mug, bringing it to his lips. He inhaled the scent first and then took a sip after exhaling right in the mug. 

'Kyungsoo and the demons are coming over.'

He choked. _Badly._

'I was wondering what's with the hostility.' He pressed out with a cough, placing the mug back down on the floor. 'What do _they_ need?'

'Investigate, probably.' Sehun shrugged, taking a hold of his own mug and taking a long sip from it. His gaze was focused on something in the far back, thoughts running around his head like it's a marathon. 'Either way it's nothing genuine, just to make sure we aren't drawing pentagrams and summoning demons. One in particular.'

'Well, we aren't doing that. _Not by those means exactly._ '

'You said Kris could smell Baekhyun on you,' Sehun started, 'could it mean they can also smell those two on us?'

Chanyeol blinked once, twice, then titled his head in thought. 'I don't know. It's possible.'

'If we soaked in the bath for an hour, would that save it?'

'No harm in trying.'

Since they didn't have enough soap nor enough time to take separate baths... Yes, they took one together, covered by slightly pink tinted foam and the scent of cheap soap.

'I think I will throw up,' Chanyeol said in the middle of the bath, squirming to get some gush of fresh-er air. 'You need to invest in some better soap.'

'Look, none of you told me to pack, I didn't even have anything and my schedules were so busy before the break, that I couldn't even run to a store further than the one around the corner. I swear, this is the best they had.'

'It's rose scented,' Chanyeol mimicked, looking at the bright pink bottle.

Sehun shrugged and blew the foam at the older males head. 'They were out of lavender.'

'Maybe that's for the best, with this kind of production I'd hate lavender for the rest of my l-'

The doorbell. They looked at each other in half-horror, half-laughter as they realized they had used all the time. 

'THE DOOR IS OPEN!' Sehun yelled over the still silence of the room, and after a bit they could hear the door creaking open and a crowd of voices ruin the perfect serenity of the otherwise still apartment.

It only took them around five or so minutes to stop before the bathroom and peek inside. It was Kai, who had done the investigation. 

'Uhh- hi?' He awkwardly greeted, the door falling open for the rest of them.

'What are you two doing?' Kyungsoo deadpanned.

'Taking a bath, _can't you see?_ ' Chanyeol shot back, his tone a bit too mocking to pass for a joke.

Sehun kicked the males leg under the water and mountains of foam and bubbles, throwing a dangerous glare at him. They couldn't let them know, that Sehun knew about Suho and all the things that were happening.

'We didn't have enough soap to take separate turns,' Sehun shrugged with a grin. 'Like good old times, right Kyungsoo?'

_'Right...'_

'It looks like you had plenty,' Baekhyun commented, arms crossed above his chest as his face was getting more red with every second.

'That's because we washed our clothes in it too,' Sehun blurted out. 

They had thought of doing so, in case, if the smell of Kris and Lu Han was in their clothes, but Chanyeol quickly dismissed that one and took their clothes to the washroom a floor below. It's safe to say they had a laugh good enough about this whole situation before. 

'You what?' Kyungsoo looked as done with the two as ever. 'You were left alone for what - _two_ days?'

'It's not like we're drawing pentagrams and summoning demons, is it?' Chanyeol snapped back, sending the most hateful of glares at the doe-eyed male he could muster.

Another kick underneath the water. 

'Actually we're kinda naked and it's getting cold,' Sehun commented, trying to shrink the obvious elephant in the room. 

Once the door was closed, Sehun sent Chanyeol another glare. They weren't able to talk about everything now, since the demons would hear it right away, but those glares were enough to get the message across for sure. 

Once the two were out, they met with three pairs of rather dark glares. Well, that's where their idle would end.

Chanyeol approached Baekhyun immediately, getting the demon tangle all his limbs around him in a steel-tight hug.

'You smell,' Baekhyun muttered leaning in close, taking a second to bury his nose in Chanyeol's damp locks. 'Cheap.'

'Hey!' Sehun growled at the two. 'I already said they had nothing else!'

'Next time use a bar of soap,' Baekhyun detached himself from the rose-bush worthy smelling Chanyeol and went to crash on the couch.

Awkward silence stilled the room, as Kyungsoo was glaring at the two - Chanyeol in particular - but Kai was standing besides him, looking uncomfortable in his own skin. 

'So, what have you two been up to? Besides taking baths together,' Kyungsoo asked, obvious mistrust hidden in the tone of his voice.

'This an that,' Sehun shrugged before Chanyeol could ruin this whole thing. 'Yeol came to few of my practices, I tried to teach him dancing, but turns out his limbs are far too long. Even tho Kris is taller than him and manages to do way better.'

When he realized that he had allowed the demons name to slip up, Sehun tried his best to not let his eyes widen in realization and obvious dread. Everyone else in the room had gone perfectly still, the three new guests even managed to exchange few, concerned glances between themselves. Especially Baekhyun and Kai, seeing as they had had a better run-in with Kris than Kyungsoo.

Kai looked at Sehun again, left eyebrow raised slightly in question. 'Kris? Like... K r i s?'

Sehun looked at him dumbfounded. 

'Who spells the name like that? C h r i s, of course! His real name is Wu Yifan, he uses Kris in the studio.'

'So, he's Chinese?' Kyungsoo asked away immediately, some relief flooding his face.

'Partly, but yes.'

Another wave of uncomfortable silence washed over them, causing them all look at different directions, pretend to do something else and such.

'We should go out, do something,' Sehun suggested and all of them stood up immediately, all adding _'yes', 'for sure'_ and so on as they did. 

Only one thing Park Chanyeol could not shake off his shoulders, and it was the gleam in Do Kyungsoo's eyes. For starters he was sure that Kai had lent the smaller male some of his powers, similarly to the way Suho had done with Chanyeol. However, if an inhuman flare in Kyungsoo's doe eyes would've been all that bothered Chanyeol - it really wouldn't be big of a deal. No. The males eyes kept scanning the area for something, stopping on Sehun every now and then, almost trying to get into the younger males head.

_'Suho,'_ Chanyeol reached out to a thread in the back of his mind, that felt darker than anything else in his subconsciousness and figuratively pulled on it. _'Help me shut Sehun's mind.'_

And, as he had spoken those words in his mind, Chanyeol watched Kyungsoo's eyes widen in fright as he jumped in his place. A triumphant smile was now gracing Chanyeol's lips and it only grew when Kyungsoo threw a helpless glance around the room, his eyes landing on the tallest of the males in the room.

'Mind your own business, Do Kyungsoo,' he mouthed to him on his way to the exit of the apartment. 


	19. RED

'Hey, Sehunnie,' Chanyeol chirped in his phone on the other side, some intentions, that Sehun couldn't quite understand right away, laced in the older males tone. 'How are you holding up there?'

_'I'm... fine?'_ He answered, not too certain, why Chanyeol was calling him up to ask that, on a Monday morning, at 7AM. 

'Do you still have the notebook?'

_'The notebook?'_

Chanyeol's blood stuck frozen mid-run in his veins. Of course... This was too good to be true. The two of them working on figuring out how to deal with Kris and Lu Han, as well as figure a way to get Suho safely back. No. Something just had to get in their way as always. 

'Never mind that,' he sighed after a silence that had dragged out too much, which, again, Chanyeol just couldn't bother to notice.

After some more small talk and making sure that Kris and Lu Han were keeping a distance, Chanyeol ended the call. It had been around 4 or 5 days since they left Busan. They - him, Kyungsoo and the demons. Sehun hadn't called up even once and Chanyeol immediately realized something just wasn't adding up. He was weird the morning they left, so Chanyeol should have noticed the absence of his memories right away. However, he was so bummed out about the fact Kyungsoo had crashed their little exploration on the Suho topic, that he hadn't payed enough mind to Sehun's behavior. 

Speaking of Kyungsoo, there was no way anyone else was responsible for the disappearance of the notebook. And, so, Kyungsoo's number was on dial instantly, with a raging Chanyeol on the other end.

_'What do you need?'_ Not a _'yes'_ , not a _'hello'_ , but straight up that. So, he indeed was the culprit, if Kyungsoo was annoyed even without a word spoken from Chanyeol yet.

'You took the notebook, didn't you?'

_'You don't even understand, what you're doing, Park Chanyeol!'_ Kyungsoo suddenly snapped, teeth gritted together to suppress more shouts.

A bang could be heard as Chanyeol smashed his fist on the counter, white pain flashing before his eyes immediately. If not fractured then sprained his fist was now for sure. Still, he couldn't even note it at first, with the sizzling anger coursing alive through him. 'Then, why don't you fucking tell me, Kyungsoo? Huh, what about that?'

_'Chanyeol-_ ' Kyungsoo was very obviously shaken up and scared at this rate. _'I just... I can't tell you,'_ followed by a sigh, he finally answered.

'You're miserable, Do Kyungsoo. _You're just so fucking-_ '

And, the call was ended on Chanyeol's terms.

'Chanyeol?' There were times, when Baekhyun very obviously felt very small between all the powerful demons he had to meet on the daily. He was quick and witty, but not exceptionally strong or muscled. So, he had to be very smart with his fighting skills. However, between humans he had never felt small. Simply, because he knew he was so much stronger than even the strongest human alive. Now, he felt tiny compared to the rage that was spilling from all sides of Park Chanyeol, also known as his human boyfriend. Partly, Baekhyun wondered if it was because of his connection to Suho. Now, Chanyeol had not said a single word about him, but Baekhyun could feel it and see it in a form of a tiny, barely visible, red string that loosely hung from Chanyeol's wrist. By the sight of it, Suho had taken away the strength that was lent to Chanyeol before, but the two were surely able to communicate. 

'What?' He hissed in pain, practically throwing the phone on the counter to grab his first, which was pulsating in pain at this rate. 

Knowing that too much talking will for sure pull on Chanyeol's strings, Baekhyun approached the other and took his injured hand. Collecting his powers in his palms, the smaller directed the energy at healing the damage Chanyeol himself had caused. 'Next time punch a pillow or something,' he said once he was done, and the pain had indeed disappeared.

'There will be no next time,' Chanyeol mumbled in return, shaking his hand a little to make sure the pain wouldn't just magically re-appear again. 'I'm not letting Kyungsoo and his demon do-'

'Stop it for once. You have no knowledge of the demon world!'

'How can _I_ have it when _you all_ are hiding every, living thing from me?!' He shouted back. The silence that settled afterwards was so heavy none of them could hear through it. It hung on their shoulders, ears and lungs, bringing them down to the ground almost. 'You all _expect_ me to understand everything, with no explanation given! I am Sehun's friend and Kyungsoo is. You and Kai are just bugs that appeared unwelcomed!'

'Is that what you think of me? That I'm some fly that has infected your pile of shit life?!'

'It wasn't a pile of shit until you two appeared,' was the final reply from Chanyeol before he took his phone and keys - wallet on the shelf by the door - and left. 

If it had been just the three of them - Chanyeol, Sehun and Kyungsoo - when Suho appeared and disappeared, they surely would've already worked a way out of it. But, because the demons had shattered their trust towards each other in the core already - at this rate they were all on their own.

And, so was Chanyeol. On his own, in the car, on the road to get away from them all. He didn't care where or when he'd be back. He just had to continue going. When his car ran out of gas - he refilled and continued on. Till sun had set, till he couldn't sit in the car, till the air grew crisp and fog had already veiled the fields. The whole day he had ignored the calls he was receiving and the twinge of guilt gnawing the sides of his soul in his chest. It had gotten so bad, that he forgot - Sehun was supposed to return home the next day, that he had promised to bring him from the station back home. Vivi was with Kyungsoo again, Sehun's apartment was once again watched over by the doe-eyed gnome, as Chanyeol now described the male in his eyes, but Toben was curled on the lap of a crying Baekhyun in the living room of their apartment. Kai... who knows where Kai even was? The best guess was Kyungsoo's own apartment, probably curled on the couch, blanket draped on him as he watched some show, waiting for the day to pass, so Kyungsoo would return home.

Just like that, that easily - all of them were scattered. What was once a union, was now their individual sorrows. And, they blamed each other for it, not themselves. All, except Sehun. No, the youngest of the bunch was sitting in his apartment, provided by the dance studio, staring at the wall of his room, head empty. 

At last, he sighed to himself and fell back on the bed, now staring at the ceiling instead, thinking about nothing in particular as he did. He blinked once, twice, then got up and went to the bathroom. No idea what had even gotten into his head. Till he had a bottle of his signature, lavender-scented shampoo in his hand. He bent over the sink and poured the water from the tap right on his scalp, then adding the shampoo. His best excuse for this was the fact that he had actually gotten some jam in his hair, earlier today, when he was hanging out with Kris and Lu Han - Kris had tried to swat a fly away from Sehun's head, but ended up smacking a strawberry-jam filled doughnut in the side of his head, which he had completely forgotten about when he was taking a shower earlier. 

The bubbles on the tips of his fingers seemed like something way too familiar. Of course, yes, after all he washes his hair nearly daily. But, the thing that was familiar in particular was the way he had his head in the sink, the scent of shampoo pooling at the base of the white sink, then hit back up as he straightened his back. Grabbing a towel and draping it around his head, Sehun couldn't help the moment of silence he needed allow to pass. And, once he took the towel off, patches of red were dotted all around the white fabric.

'Red?' He mimicked in confusion. To closer examination, he could swear it was not blood. Then what? 

Just as he was about to finally understand, from where, which memory in his mind was responsible for this, Sehun threw the towel on a hanger and left to sleep for the night.

There wasn't much even in the next morning. He had simply returned home, all the blinds shut. It was pitch black darkness in the apartment, when Vivi barked in happiness towards the male.

'Nice one Kyungsoo,' Sehun groaned, realizing that no lights turned on when he tried to flip the switch on his wall. Another friendly pay-back from Kyungsoo for babysitting Sehun's dog and watching after the apartment. 

Even so, Sehun could walk through this apartment with his eyes closed anyways. He knew it like the back of his hand with all the late nights he had to walk through it in the dark, too lazy to switch up the lights and then walk around turning them all off. He dropped his bags by the door, wanting to rest and play with Vivi first. In lazy, long footsteps he made his way to his room, in the dark. However, once he was there, the room felt a lot colder than the rest of the place, faint red coming from somewhere on his shelves. 

'Had Kyungsoo misplaced my alarm clock there?' Sehun wondered aloud, taking a stool to step up on it, coming face-to-face with the object radiating off the strange red. When he climbed down, what he was holding in his hand was a flower, planted in a relatively small pot. One that seemed too beautiful to be of this world. 'What... When did I get this?'

First to his mind came a name: 'cotton,' Sehun mumbled. 'Cotton? Like... Myeon, from Junmyeon.'

Then came a voice in his head, with a blurry figure of someone... Someone with red hair, just as red as the flower: _'It will never wither, for as long as this feeling in my chest stays, grows and blooms - so will the flower. I want you to remember me, when you look at it.'_

Before his own legs gave out, turning to jelly on the spot, taken over by all the emotions and memories, that had been locked up inside of him, Sehun placed the flower back on his desk. Almost pulling his hair out the second his hands were free, because _'I remember, I remember him... my Suho.'_

The tears that started pooling and falling from his eyes, blocked the males vision entirely, and he almost stumbled to the ground the second he tried to run out of the room and do something. However, before he could - two arms engulfed his frame, two, strong arms were holding his body and warmth took over his whole frame as he was pulled closer by those arms. _'Suho,_ ' his lips could barely form the syllables between the sobs and trembling, between the pain and joy that slowly overtook. 

_'Oh Sehun,'_ and, then there was the voice he was expecting, that he had _longed_ to finally hear ring right next to his ear. His hands found his lovers face, cupping it gently between his shaking fingers, not allowing any other second go to waste as he leaned in and pressed his lips on the demons soft ones. 'Took you long enough... Took you long enough.'

Sehun chuckled between the sobs, pulling away just once to make sure it was all real. The pair of red eyes were gleaming right back at him, with all the love and adoration he had learnt to love. 'I'm not letting you go ever again, Suho.'


	20. Leave what's left for the ones who are doomed to come next

'Oh Sehun,' however the said male only answered with a groan, one filled with rejection to any talks, and nuzzled his face more into the demons chest. _'Come on~'_

'No, we're not moving from this spot today,' Sehun mumbled against Suho's hot skin, tickling the red-haired males skin lightly, causing a smile to spread on his lips.

Suho snorted lightly, moving his hand to thread his fingers through Sehun's messy bed hair, the smile never disappearing, because he was actually here... He was once again holding his Sehun in his arms, so close. He still could not forget the cold absence of the boys body next to him daily, but right now that void was slowly getting drowned in both the physical presence of Oh Sehun and the love that the younger couldn't contain. 

'Even if you get hungry?'

Sehun shook his head no, the hair tickling Suho's skin more. 'I don't care about that. I'm feeding off your presence.'

'You know that's why I need you to get up.' Sehun only sighed, not answering Suho at all. 'Come on, Kyungsoo has bombarded you with calls, Baekhyun is calling you non-stop.'

'Which is why I muted my phone altogether.'

'Don't you think it's weird?'

Sehun raised his head up finally, confusion written all over his face and especially in the raised eyebrow as he observed Suho unlock his phone and scroll through the missed calls. 'What is?'

'Kyungsoo fills a record here on calls, so does Baekhyun, but slightly less, even Kai has called, which maybe is just Kyungsoo on his phone,' Suho spoke in slight amusement. There was still a tiny bit of devil left in him, but, who knows, maybe it was the aftereffect of his being sent back to Hell again.

'So-?'

'There are no calls from Chanyeol.'

That was strange. No one could compare with how Chanyeol could spam both in messages and missed calls, when something was going down. To hear that the elf-eared male wasn't in touch with the whole spam thing made chills run down Sehun's back. It just wasn't in Park Chanyeol's nature to be the quiet one. Besides, Sehun was expecting the older to call anyways, seeing as he now remembered the males attempts in helping Sehun remember Suho. He was the only one eager on working things out. 

'Give me that,' at last, Sehun sighed and sat up in the bed, cold air immediately hitting his exposed chest, making a great difference between the warmth of the bed sheets and his boyfriends embrace. Nevertheless, Suho handed over the squared device, now kinda used to the thought of technology. 

With every second Sehun spent scrolling through the list of missed calls and text messages that mostly read _'call me immediately'_ or _'Sehun, this is urgent_ ' and _'pick up, please, this isn't a joke'_ \- the males brows furrowed together more and more. It wasn't just texts Kyungsoo and Baekhyun were spamming, but every other social media platform as well. They event went as far as Facebook messenger, which- please, Sehun had downloaded as a joke to even begin with.

'They always take away our moments,' Sehun finally spoke up, the phone clutched hard in his grip and eyes pooling with anger. 'Every time they do something and rob us of our moments. There isn't a day, where they don't show up and completely ruin it, because - oopsies, _they did something_.'

Suho very obviously understood, what Sehun meant with that, but he also knew the only reason Sehun was thinking so, was because he couldn't understand, why no one tried to help him remember except for Chanyeol. Suho knew, he had seen both sides and he could not bring himself to hate any of the people involved for their lack of reasonable planning. None of them understood the curse fully, and, in the end, they had succeeded anyways.

'That's how family is, Sehunnie,' Suho said, resting a hand on top of the males thigh, a warm look in his eyes. 'You can't always understand their actions, but you know that you'll seek help in them firsthand, just like they are now.'

Sehun loathed that Suho was right and even more he loathed the fact, that instead of hate, worry was rooting in his chest the more he sat there, not knowing what was wrong. Just because he was a bit more angry with Kyungsoo than he was with Baekhyun for creating the curse, he dialed the said demons number. 

_'Sehun!'_ Baekhyun practically cried from the other side of the line. And, the worry that was only rooting in the males chest managed to bloom full-power in a matter of seconds. _'Sehun, is Chanyeol with you?'_

'N-No, he's not, what-' but Baekhyun's cries cut any question Sehun could've proceed with. Suho was up in the bed as well, feeling the worry course through Sehun's body, that and the guilt for ignoring them.

_'We can't find him, Sehun! He left last morning, stormed out of the apartment, we fought. He's not picking up calls, he's not talking to anyone, we have no idea if he is even alright. Kyungsoo said Kai had tracked down his car, but Chanyeol himself was nowhere in sight and judging by the energy waves, he had left the car hours ago.'_

Sehun's whole body went numb, the only thing that managed to keep him from falling apart were Suho's arms that wrapped around him with every word Baekhyun poured in the phone. Not even mentioning that he was talking so fast, sobs cutting his sentences every few seconds, till the point Sehun had to gather the angels above to understand a word.

'Where are you now?' 

_'About to head to Kyungsoo's, he said Kai had returned few minutes ago. I need to see what Kai did in case he missed something.'_

'Meet you there,' Sehun answered on instant and ended the call. He sent a worrisome, but sly smirk towards Suho. 'Let's crash the party?'

'They know I'm back,' Suho sighed, the expression on his face indicating how deep in thought he actually was.

'What? How-?' 

'It's a demon thing. To put it in a funny way _'they feel when the boss is around'_ ,' well, that certainly made Sehun snort the slightest bit. 'Let's go. Chanyeol needs you.'

'How do you know that?'

'I can feel him, Sehun,' getting out of the bed and grabbing a clean towel from a drawer, Suho answered. 'I even know where he is, but we can't let them know that.'

'We have to go then!'

'No, first you need to see something. I can feel him at all times due to the connection we had formed, I'll know if he's in danger and currently he's all good. Well, except being hungry and kinda cold.'

A groan left Sehun's lips, he knew there was no budging here, he'd just have to agree, because - again - Suho knew these things better than Sehun did. Which kind of bugged him, honestly, he vaguely remembered just how lost Suho was at first, even terrified of what had become of the Earth, however, right now he felt like he was walking on something so obvious. Somewhere deep inside, Sehun wondered if maybe this was the time when Suho is going to use him to take over the world. It seemed silly and unlikely the second his eyes fell upon the demons red ones, the ones that watched him with love, adoration and worry. However... What if?

'Sehun?'

'Yeah, sorry, let's get ready,' he shook his head, trying to get rid of the pesky thoughts that had cornered him completely. 

Together they took one very short shower and got ready at basically the speed of light. Suho actually had to catch Sehun by his arm before the younger managed to storm out with his hair still a complete mess and part of lotion stuck to the side of his face. It was amusing how quick Sehun would forget to be completely careful and thorough with his routines if his friends - or family as Suho had called them previously - was in any sort of danger.

Figuring that Baekhyun was already at Kyungsoo's, the couple dismissed the thought of using a car and rather did the little trick of teleportation. Sehun hated it, the few seconds in the empty void made him feel like he was being trashed around from one side to another, and once his feet came in contact with the ground he wanted nothing more, but to throw the contents of his stomach up and on the floor. Even if it would be nothing, but barely a cup of coffee.

'You're here!' Baekhyun chirped and stopped dead in his tracks the second his eyes fell on no one else, but Suho himself - flesh and bones standing before him. 'Suho... you too.'

'What, didn't you know that already?' Sehun scoffed, earning a warning squeeze on his shoulder from Suho. 'Sorry,' tho there was no sincere apology in his tone. 'Where are the rest?'

'Here we are,' Kyungsoo slowly muttered, Kai following him behind as the two made their way out from the living room and into the hallway. 'So, he truly is back.'

'Not happy to see me?' Suho threw an angelic smile at Kyungsoo. 'I thought that was your whole thing - helping Sehun to get me back.'

'It was, indeed. But, everyone can hope for a failure, can't they?'

It was now a stare-down between the two. No fake attitudes littered the air, now that Suho had broken the curse and Sehun wasn't granted pitiful, eleven days with him. 

'What happened? Can someone give a rundown?' Sehun finally spoke up, leaving the two to their own devices and rather asking the questions to Kai and Baekhyun.

Baekhyun's face was basically screaming of guilt at this mention.

Finally, he sighed and motioned for Sehun to follow to the kitchen, along with Kai, but not the two troublemakers. 'He was pissed off, because none of us were helping you, at least he thought we weren't. Kyungsoo was responsible for filling him in on the plan, but why he never did - we don't know.'

'We kinda gathered, that every time he did the two ended up fighting before he could even brush the topic,' Kai butted in, disapproval evident in his tone. So, no one was happy with what had happened. 'You have to understand, that even if Chanyeol was doing the wrong thing, he wasn't doing it on purpose.'

'I'm not blaming him for anything,' Sehun said as Kyungsoo and Suho entered the kitchen as well. 'You are the ones blaming him, because he almost destroyed your plan, but I have never even thought of blaming him.'

The entire bunch fell silent. They knew Sehun was right once again.

'So, he snapped about it,' Baekhyun suddenly continued. 'The two of us fought, how I had ruined his life and-' there were tears in his eyes now, breaking his voice and making him choke on muffled sobs. 'We shouted and he stormed out. Left in the car and after few hours, when he hadn't returned, I tried to call him up. At first I could dial him, but at one point I couldn't even reach him anymore - out of service.'

'His phone probably ran out of battery,' Kyungsoo mumbled.

'Did no one else manage to reach him - Kyungsoo, Kai?' Sehun asked immediately.

'No,' Kyungsoo shook his head.

'You're lying,' Sehun's eyes widened with Suho's statement. 'You know exactly why he suddenly got out of service. You're lying, Kyungsoo.'

'Think of it,' Baekhyun interrupted, 'the operator was saying that he was on a call, and after that his phone was out of service. And, then Kyungsoo called immediately, saying that Kai was on his way to track him down.'

Sehun glared down at the doe-eyed male, ready to be the one that will burn the shorter to the ground with his stare alone: 'what did you do again?'


	21. Guilt Tripping

Friendship tends to be very relative. Books make people speak of oaths and promises of unbreakable friendships, that do not get shattered by any hardships, quite the opposite - they grow a thicker skin with all these obstacles and wrongs of the life, the challenges that get thrown under their feet, intending to make the said group of friends split. Oh Sehun, however, is holding a figurative knife or maybe even a machete in his hands, grasping the handle with a steel-tight grip to cut these people off once and for all, because he honestly can't believe the kind of idiocy they can boil up in such a short time. For Heavens sake - it hadn't even been two days since Suho returned and he still can't have his _'honeymoon'_ with the Devil. Maybe it's some cryptic message of the skies above, that - nope, by no means should he doom his soul till this rate. Does he care? Not even a tiniest bit. And, it just feels like he's about to spit out all the inner frustration, which has been building up in his subconsciousness.

'I cannot bloody grasp my mind around the fact that you _can even open your mouth_ to say as much as a word of all that, Kyungsoo!' Sehun shouted, veins popping on the sides of his neck, because that was really a lot of volume, and not once in his life before had he been this utterly baffled over someone. 'You had the damn _audacity_ to call him, _tell_ him that he is an IDIOT and that it was _ONLY_ HIS FAULT for Suho not coming back any sooner!'

'I'm not wrong tho?!' And... yeah he still had the nerve to think he was the right one here. 'If he had not brought your memory back, chances are you would've seen something, that triggered your memory sooner! The twist in the curse is that you have to remember yourself and not with the help of others. You should be THANKING ME for making it work!'

'Then where the Hell were you when you were supposed to tell that to him? I do nothing, but hate you at this moment for it, Kyungsoo!'

'You've always been a spoiled brat, not even surprised, Oh Sehun, _not surprised_!'

Imagine how a tiny piece of land, that stretches between two raging seas... no, oceans, feels like. The waves constantly wash over the thin line of dirt in white foam, not giving the land a second to breathe, not a second to catch a direct beam of light even in the hottest and sunniest of summer days, because the oceans are just that angry with one another, because they just want to take up the largest portion of space, to prove their might. That's how Suho, Kai and Baekhyun felt as they stared at the two humans, who were so close to breaking into a whole fist-fight. 

'Do something,' Baekhyun whispered as he scooted closer to Suho, very obviously not wanting to want to be the one, who'd end up catching one of their fists by accident in an attempt to interfere. 

Suho's eyes widened immediately, almost as much as Chanyeol's, when the said male heard something absurd, completely ridiculous, and his eyes would widened like two saucers. ' _Me_?' He pointed his index finger at himself, eyebrow up in an arch, that's how surprised he was to hear that anyone was even thinking of getting between those two knobheads.

'Who else?' Kai added, draping an arm around their leaders shoulders, patting the side of his shoulder at the same time as well. 'You're the big man here, go stop your princess before he channels his inner demon and we have another problem on our hands.'

'One of those is yours,' Suho glared right at Kai, making the taller male back off immediately, knowing what that red gleam in his eyes far too well. 'However, we do need to get moving, therefore-' and so, he pulled Sehun back by his waist, almost receiving the feared hook to his face by a surprised Sehun. 

'What the _Hell_ are you doing, Suho?'

He only shrugged: 'interrupting, because we need to get going and bring Chanyeol back. He's not doing that well, Oh Sehun.'

Eyebrows knit together in worry and immediate realization, he nodded and already set for the exit, not going to waste more time on this circus. 

'Sehun!' It was Baekhyun's voice that called over them all. ' _Please_ , can I come with you?'

The pure desperation that laced Baekhyun's tone almost made him give in. It's not like he didn't realize, that the demon actually loved Chanyeol, a lot and without a single doubt. He maybe didn't know how to show it properly and without a load of being awfully clingy, but it was clear as a morning sky - which rarely was even that clear lately - that Baekhyun's emotions were pure. As pure as a demon could get, that is. However, Sehun didn't know how bad his elf-eared friends state was, and he, quite frankly, had no idea if the air was even reaching his heights at this point or all he did was roll in self-pity. 

'Sorry,' he shrugged, lips pressed in a thin line as all he was able to offer was a sympathetic look, 'but I think it's better if I solve this on my own for now.' 

It's not like Baekhyun didn't anticipate an answer like this, he knew what was awaiting him. There was no lie - they all thought that Baekhyun brought no good and if it couldn't be told by their side-eyed glances, then his demonic abilities in reading off a persons emotions surely did the job for him. He couldn't oppose. After all, he a was a spirit of curses, quite wicked and messed up at the core already. So, he wasn't one to throw a temper tantrum once he felt the waves of: _'damn, they also think I should stay in the far back and mind my own goddamn business'._

Suho waved them all an awkward hand for a goodbye and exited after Sehun, nearly running into the younger ones back, since he had assumed Sehun would be dashing down the stairs now. Instead, he was standing frozen right by the door.

'What's the hold-up?' 

'Should we teleport to him?' Sehun asked, suddenly looking very misplaced in his own skin. Suho didn't really know where the confusion from the younger one came from, since - well, he had seemed awfully confident before and determined. 'How bad is he?'

'Well, if we ignore the tremendous wave of guilt and self-doubt as well as pity, the immense hatred and pure disgust with himself - not actually _that_ bad.'

'He's miserable, got it,' Sehun sighed and took Suho's hand in his, well, for the teleporting purposes. Not because they actually never really held hands anywhere and it was no lie that Sehun was craving tons and tons of physical affection, because he was. Which was also normal, considering the fact he still hadn't exactly recovered from the fact, that Suho was actually here and his chest was still convulsing with occasional doubt and disbelief. 

In a second, Suho had already gathered his energy and sent the two of them flying through the dimensions and- other timelines, overall - that was teleportation. Jumping different realities and times, as well varying between different points of energy to jump from one another, till they were somewhat close to where they actually had to be, that's the exact and only reason, why Sehun felt like puking his guts out on the ground the second it was over, and the scent of wet, decaying wood, ground and pine-needles, maybe even mushrooms, that's a given in a rainy area. 

'Where is he?' Sehun asked immediately, barely even holding on his feet. 'Where even are we?'

'He should be down that path,' Suho pointed, shrugging slightly at the second question. Truth was, he didn't need to know the location to teleport, he needed to feel the energy and he had just wasted his last thread to Chanyeol, because this was about all the connection they had left between themselves. 'I'll be waiting by his car for you to return, if anything just shout my name of think of me... a lot. He doesn't want to see any of the demons, so I think it's better if you just calm him down.'

'Think of you? You're telling me that's supposed to work.'

A sideways grin was now dancing across Suho's lips, he knew how stupid it sounded and cliche, that too, overly sweet. 'We're connected, Oh Sehun~'

'Fine, fine, I'm going,' he immediately laughed and set on the path, the sweetness would have to wait, because if he started daydreaming about Suho, then chances are he'd be no good in making Chanyeol feel better or set his mind back on the line. He'd take it as a sweet reward later, when everything was settled and they finally... finally would have everything settled. No more secrets, fights and fright of the unknown, everything was about to be put back on it's respective shelves. 

And, truly, not walking for too long down the barely visible spot, Sehun noticed Chanyeol's figure, sitting his back at a tree as he was furiously sniffling and occasionally running his sleeve over his nose.

'Yeol, really?' He mumbled, once he had approached the pile of sad at last.

Chanyeol's gaze turned up and the second his eyes met Sehun's frame, they pooled with a whole ocean of tears, rolling down his cheeks. His bottom lip popped out as he was stumbling over his own words, sobs and cries slurring even a thing he was trying to say. 'Sehunnie... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't want to-'

The look on his face darkened, eyes, those dark brown eyes that were previously, just seconds ago, shining with sympathy and warmth - they were now ice cold and dark as coal. 'But, you did,' Sehun whispered, something that seemed like disgust and hate on his features. 'You did and you took away my happiness. Park Chanyeol, you're no better than Kyungsoo,' the male crouched down and stared right into Chanyeol's eyes, making the elf-eared male lean back, almost falling over the side of the tree trunk. 'Pathetic, you are, and a failure.' 

There it was, a soulless red gleam in Sehun's eyes as he flashed him a wicked grin and- that was it. As soon as it appeared - it disappeared, the red flashing out and nothing, but fright overtaking Sehun's whole body. 'Chanyeol- Hyung, w-what-' and he stumbled back, falling on the ground as he tried to get away from the fright and the pain that Chanyeol's features displayed. 

'Did you... Did you really mean that?'

'Mean what?! Where even are we?!' The sheer panic in Sehun's tone was so raw, that Chanyeol almost immediately forgot all the words the younger had just cut deep wounds in his heart with. 'I was just with Suho- trying to get you, to tell you everything is fine and, and- that Kyungsoo is wrong, but then it suddenly faded. I thought I had passed out, but once I finally fought it I was staring at you and you looked - hurt?'

'What do you mean - it?' Chanyeol asked right away, pulling both of them up from the damp, moss-covered ground. 

'I- I don't know. The abyss? The darkness that had consumed me?'


	22. I will carry all your names and I will carry all your shame

_'Oh Sehun?'_

'That would be me?'

There was not a single speck of light in there... here, who knows where Oh Sehun actually was at this point. Just as relative as friendships, supernatural locations were also very relative. Especially those, that were technically made in a persons mind, not materialized. In front of Sehun stood two figures, resembling Xuimin and Chen, when he first met the two angels.

'Is it you?' One of them, a guy with dimples that seemed to be filled with kindness, smiled at him, eyes squeezing into crescents with the action. 'Or is it not?'

Just the overall friendly aura from the angel made a smile appear on Sehun's lips, even a tiny chuckle ran over them. 'I am.' Or well, the ghost of him, it was.

'Do you know where you are, Oh Sehun?' The other white-winged figure asked, he was taller than the dimpled man, and his look was less inviting than the other ones. That made Sehun's shadow of a smile disappear. 

'No, I don't think so.'

'Don't let Tao discourage you,' the first one spoke up again, nudging an elbow in the said Tao's side. Sehun assumed that this kind of thing happened often - two angels playing a good and bad cop.

'I still don't know,' with a sigh, he finally answered again.

'This is basically the back of your mind,' Tao said. 'It's made in you.'

'Subconsciousness,' the friendly-aura angel butted in.

'Thank you, Lay,' he mumbled and then returned his gaze back on Sehun. 'I assume you don't know what happened. You shouldn't know at least. So, to explain it - your humanity is decreasing. The longer you are with Suho, the more of your humanity he consumes.'

Sehun swallowed hard. A crease had formed between his eyebrows again, slight mistrust mirroring in his eyes, because why would Suho do that? To put it first, Sehun knew how much pride Suho took into his demonic being, and second- just why?

'Not on purpose,' Lay said the moment he saw a mix of betrayal and hurt veil the younger males gaze. 'It's sort of a big, bad demon guy TM thing,' the angel shrugged. 'He cannot stay on Earth in a form as demonic as his, even if he has reduced his powers greatly, to stay on Earth. Some things cannot just be removed like that.'

'But, Chanyeol-' Sehun almost cried out, 'Kyungsoo?'

'Kyungsoo has never been only human to even begin with,' Tao scoffed, like it was something so obvious and it was. It's not like Sehun didn't know the whole guardian thing and his past in the underworld with Kai. That's what the whole curse was about. 'And, Arae - Baekhyun - has never been strong enough to really make a graveyard difference, when she materialized into the world of the living.'

Of course, it would be just stupid if those few didn't get off with whatever they wanted to do, but him and Suho had to go through Hell and back. 'So, what if I just go to Hell with him and call it a day?'

'Now, we cannot allow that. As the 'upper angels',' and he mirrored quotation marks with his fingers, 'we cannot allow something so- fueling for the Devils powers to happen.' Tao finally crossed his arms above his chest, looking just way too intimidating for an angel. 'Your and Suho's only hope is just to- cut the whole thing you have going on.'

'To Hell with that! I just got him back,' the male then snarled, glaring daggers at the arrogant angel, that just probably had a huge superiority complex, by how he was. 'None of you can hold me back, you should know that by Xiumin's and Chen's failure already.'

'Xiumin and Chen are fallen angels,' there was clear distress in Lay's voice as he said that. 'Have you met them?'

'It's been quite a while now, but yes - they also visited Kyungsoo and Chanyeol.'

After those words, the two angels looked at each other, seemingly in some weird conversation, since they seemed to come to a conclusion via intense stare-down, but no actual words were spoken. Only silence hugged the three of them in the pitch black void of nothing that was Sehun's subconsciousness, with a tint of red, it was. 

'Oh Sehun,' Lay seemed to finally acknowledge the male again, even tho it was Sehun's mind they were all settled in. It seemed to be an angel thing in general - to only pay attention to anyone else in the room/place only when it came handy. 'It's time for you to go back and take control. That red light is where a crack has happened and your humanity is oozing out of, letting in the demonic side of Suho poison your body. So, the quickest way out is right into the problem.'

' _Got it_.'

The two wanted to say something more... definitely. But, Sehun had no patience to go and put up with their attitudes any longer. Quite frankly, he couldn't stand any other supernatural being apart from Suho, because the rest of them were nothing, but bundles of either too much ego or very low self-esteem.

And, so, Sehun neared the red corner of his otherwise completely light-less imprisonment. First he peered right down into it - the crack of his human facade - trying to see maybe some sort of an end to it, but there was nothing. In fact, it seemed like it disappeared the lower it went, not seeming like an exit at all, but if the two angels said that was the way out - it must be so. And, when did he even trust beings this easily? For all he knew, there was the possibility those two were just very well masked demons. The thing that convinced him were the enormous, white, radiating wings and the overly - I'm so much more holy, pure and better - aura coming off of the angels. Tao, mainly. Lay seemed to be more on the humble side.

The light seemed to be almost alive, it was pulsing brighter, then darker, almost like the void was breathing, and, if some sort of a demonic presence really was trashing Sehun's inner self, that might not be so far from the reality. He closed his eyes and stepped closer, then another step, till his eyes started detecting light. Once he opened them, few pairs of all kinds of worried eyes were looking back at him. Similar to the day in the woods, with Chanyeol, which was the first time this had happened. He doesn't remember doing much to get out of the void back then, it just kind of disappeared, but the more time passed, the harder it was to slip out of the void. 

'Oh Sehun?' The said male glanced to his side, where Suho's worried eyes were watching his. Then, a relieved exhale left his lips. 'The red is gone.'

'I saw two angels,' Sehun blurted, and before anyone could ask questions - he told them about the whole encounter. 

'This is no good,' Kyungsoo muttered.

Maybe some detail should be made about their seating in general. Currently, their usual squad was at Sehun's place. Suho was seated besides him, as Sehun himself was fully leaned back in an arm-chair. Kyungsoo was taking up the sofa with Kai, watching him with weary eyes and so much mistrust and suspicion, Sehun was ready to show the doe-eyed male the exit, because, honestly, he is the one everyone should be sending suspicious glares at. Chanyeol was leaned against the far wall, arms crossed upon his chest as he was simply observing the whole thing with a grim look. He was the first to encounter this sudden change in Sehun after all, in the forest, by the tree, when he and Suho had wished to find Chanyeol after all the ruckus with Kyungsoo. This time he counted Sehun to take 12 minutes more to come back, than he did the first time the demonic side took over. Baekhyun was right besides him and a worried look was painted on his face as well. All of them were very taken aback by the turn of events. 

'Did they tell you anything?' Suho's voice finally cut the thick silence.

Sehun nodded slowly, unsure and reluctant. 'To stay away, is the best way of controlling this. They said the more time I spend with Suho, the less human I become and vice versa.'

'So, technically,' Kyungsoo was the one to continue, 'in order to stay on Earth, Suho is devouring Sehun's humanity.'

'But, not on purpose,' Sehun added, as if that would ease all the guilt the demon was feeling. 'And, the reason it doesn't happen to Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, is because Kyungsoo was never human to begin with and Baekhyun isn't powerful enough to do it.'

A scoff could be heard from Baekhyun. 'Of course they'd say that.'

'Then what is the real reason?' Kyungsoo mocked back, challenge evident in his eyes, and one could swear - everyone in the room wanted to punch him at least once, except for Kai, because Kai was oblivious to the schemes the smaller male was leading.

'I am not a demon,' Baekhyun continued, ignoring that the almost human male had tried to make him a laughing stack. 'I am a spirit. Therefore, I don't need to feed on a human soul to guarantee my stay.'

' _I'm sorry_ ,' the whisper was directed so quietly no one else heard it, but Sehun. Suho's eyes spoke of the sorrow and regret his heart was bleeding out. Sehun only shook his head no, placing a hand on top of Suho's, because he knew better than anyone, his Suho wasn't doing this on purpose and never would. 'But, maybe it's really the best if I go back. We can't let this consume you, Oh Sehun. I'll have to leave.'


	23. The end of All things

There are rough patches in every relationship. Some people might even say, that they - those rough patches - are what form, knit together and _define_ a relationship between two people, because they both can show their true colours then, make each other regret the choices of forming their bounds, see the flaws and together - they work around them, they overcome them. Oh Sehun thinks that his current and probably only relationship is exactly the opposite - it has good patches and everything else is a long, damn fabric of rough and torturous. 

He feels like in one those soulmate plots that people occasionally post on Tumblr, the ones that go something like: _imagine a world, where we all are allowed to see one or two colours, and the world is only mildly interesting, until you meet your soulmate - upon your first touch, the world suddenly blooms in different shades and brights, a whole batch of colours. However, if you get taken away from them - the world goes back to the same plain._

That's how he felt right now, like the only thing that sparked some real colour in his mildly interesting life was gone. It didn't happen with a loud bang or a lot of tears and shouting, no, it was simple. Right after their discussion with everyone else in the room, when Chanyeol and Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Kai had left Sehun's apartment, and Sehun and Suho had went to sleep in sorrowful silence, he disappeared. Sehun doesn't know how. He had fallen asleep in the tightest and most desperate embrace he had felt so far and awoke in a completely empty bed, the spot, which typically belonged to Suho, was taken up by Vivi, who was staring at Sehun, almost saying: _'I know it's not me you wanted to see here, but I don't want you to be sad.'_

There wasn't the familiar buzz of the coffee machine in the kitchen nor the sound of running water in the bathroom, not even a soft pit-pat of Suho's feet trying to roam the apartment quietly enough to not wake Sehun up. There was nothing. The apartment was still in silence. For Sehun, honestly, it felt like it was stuck in time, that even the dust - which he could see through the beam of sun, that had broken through a small opening in the curtains - was stuck mid-fall or mid-float. He was afraid to even take a breath, in case if he'd suck up all the mid-fall, mid-float dust - it would never get out of his lungs, because he was too frozen in his spot to even cough. He didn't move. Stayed in his bed in the same position, facing the ceiling, legs tucked up and arms spread to the sides, his blanket up till half of his chest. The stare, with which he was looking up at the ceiling, was blank and dead. He simply couldn't help, but to compare how it had felt, when he didn't remember Suho and how it did now. 

'I wish I could forget him,' and, just like that, he had broken the silence and the stillness. The air around him started moving and the dust stuck to his lips as a sob finally broke this fight against reality. Tears ran down his temples and soaked in the cold pillows. The second he felt his lungs filling with a painful gasp of air, Sehun rolled on his side, clutching the blankets in his hands and pulling them closer. They still held his scent. The cries wrecked his whole body and at times he didn't even know how to take a proper breath or how to exhale properly. He was so selfish - Suho. This wasn't a one person decision, this wasn't only his choice, yet he had made it for both of them.

A whimper could be heard from Vivi's side as he attempted to somehow poke into the males side. He stuck his nose into Sehun's tear stained face, trying to ease down the sobs, that were just so unnatural to come from him to even begin with. It's not like Oh Sehun hadn't cried lately, he just hadn't cried like this, it just had never hurt like this before. Nothing had made him feel this alone and abandoned before.

'I'm sorry boy,' he mumbled, glancing at the cloud of white fur, that had mushed into a blurry blob through all the tears. With a stretched out hand, he slightly patted the dogs head, scratching a tiny bit behind his ears, before another wave of sobs overtook his entire body. Vivi curled right in his chest once Sehun had lifted his hand. 

They stayed like that for long, the light behind the windows was running out and the walls of Sehun's room were getting tinted in the signature red, violet and blue of dusk. The male felt sick. His whole stomach had turned upside-down from the lack of food and the crying, till the point he thought his next stop would be the bathroom for few hours. However, once he just couldn't cry anymore, that feeling seemed to decrease with time as well, leaving him with nothing, but a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach, pain in lungs and numbness. Partly he hoped that Suho had seen it. That he was paying for this decision far worse, by watching his loved one suffer as he himself was suffering. Was it selfish and wrong for Sehun to think so? Yes, maybe, but so was Suho's decision of leaving on his own. After they had worked around a curse, which had less than a 7% chance of working on their behalf. 

Sehun finally moved from his curled up position, stretching out his sore limbs, that all cracked and popped in relief. Vivi also started moving around, hopping on the floor to move about and around slowly. First Sehun only sat up and put his feet in the soft slippers besides his bed. The dim light from outside wasn't torturing his reddened eyes as much as he had thought it would, therefore, he as much as allowed himself to slide open the curtains, so he could look outside. Nothing had changed. A day without Sehun was still the same as with Sehun. He didn't want to think, that nothing would change if he was permanently removed from the world, but it would be a lie if that thought didn't cross his mind at least once. He hoped to not give in those thoughts, since giving up after all of this would be a foolish move in his book of life and concepts.

In the end, to not encourage more of those thoughts, the male finally got up and made his way to the bathroom. The shower, the shaving, the teeth brushing seemed to bring some sort of clearance into his life. It wasn't much, but it made it a tiny bit better. He also didn't bother with putting on anything more than his pair of black jeans and the first sweater at sight, which thankfully hadn't been Suho's, otherwise, he'd be stuck in the room for the night.

'Come on, Vivi!' He then motioned for his boy to follow. 'Let's go for a walk.'

The one thing he couldn't forget was taking care of his dog, and he had already failed at that during the first part of today. So, as he was getting on his shoes - matching black, of course - he quietly swore to himself - he would not let anything dismiss taking Vivi out on a walk like this again. Vivi, however, was in ecstasy to go outside. Any longer and he would've made the bedside his personal restroom. 

There wasn't anything in particular Sehun thought of as he was walking the deserted streets. Maybe only, why the streets were, in fact, deserted. It wasn't that late and the evening was pleasantly warm, just overall a good time to be outside, but he can also understand, why people, who have just returned from work, wouldn't want to go and exhaust themselves even more. 

He was just happy to see Vivi running around, happy to have no one around, because he knew it well - his eyes were still red, hair partly disheveled and overall posture just... sad. And, he didn't want to receive those stares from people, that would reek of curiosity over his unfortunate fate or pity.

He was just wondering around the streets like a lost spirit on a Halloween night, not knowing what it really meant to be a lost spirit on a Halloween night. He doesn't think anyone does, but it just spoke to him that he felt that way. The light was far gone and the only thing illuminating him and his companion - Vivi - were the street lamps, glowing a murky amber down on him. It was perfect for one of those demons to appear right now, to lure him into some sort of a devilish scheme. You know, what they say about crossroads - that's where you will meet the Devil or a demon to make a deal with. Sehun was at crossroads, but he wouldn't be surprised to see Kyungsoo there. And, as he stood between those two roads, Vivi tight by his feet, he couldn't help, but to remember the night he met Suho, how he had been frightened, how that fright melted into annoyance, annoyance into sympathy and sympathy into love. Love into loneliness. 

There was no one at the crossroads. Not even Kyungsoo. He also felt like his life was at crossroads at this rate. Where to move, who to move... what to move? It was all uncertain, except the fact he would be moving it alone. 

In front of him, he saw two figures walking down the deserted crossroads, when they came closer he recognized them to be Kris and Lu Han. Right, now he also recalled the deal with these.

'Sehun?' Kris was the first one to speak, when they had made it close enough to recognize who had been the lost soul at the crossroads. The thing with this myth is - it wasn't a myth at all. A person could, in fact, summon a demon or two at crossroads to make a deal with them. Only, if your soul was hurting so much it might as well leave the land of living.

Panic was written all over Lu Han's face and something, that spoke in the lines of _: 'I don't really want to do this.'_

'What are _you two_ doing here?' Sehun asked, not piecing it together right away, what had happened.

Kris looked at him a bit puzzled: ' _you_ summoned us, _obviously_.'

'I didn't say anything tho, no rituals or such.'

'You don't really need all that to summon a demon, Sehun,' Kris sighed, 'you should know that.'

A chuckle, that almost broke Sehun's walls, which were holding back another load of tears, left his lips. ' _Right_.'

'Sehun-' Lu Han was the one to break the chatter, 'I really don't want to make a deal with you.'

'What am I worse for than anyone else?' He scoffed, eyes already damp with tears that he couldn't hold back, nose red and cheeks dusted a faint red as well. 

'What is the deal you want then?' Kris asked back, before Lu Han could let the humanity of his heart get the best of the demonic part of his mind. 'If you summoned us, there must be something you want.'

Sehun knew what it was, but he had no idea the want to erase Suho's existence from his mind was strong enough to channel out those two. 'I didn't have the intention of summoning you two,' the male then breathed out a shaky answer. He faced the concrete beneath his feet a little, swaying a bit back and forward on the balls of his feet to collect himself. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he looked back up at them again, but not right at them, he was looking everywhere at the sky, just not at them. 'I was actually just on a walk. I happened to think about the myth and that's it.'

'Still, do tell us, what is it, that you want, Sehun?'

'For you bastard demons to finally get the Hell lost from Earth,' he growled. Both of the demons felt it wasn't the real wish, this was only the anger caused by the real wish, therefore, it wasn't something they could make come true. Sehun wiped down his nose with the back of his sleeve as he heaved a chuckle. 'What is it that you two needed me for? You should know that the said powers, the thing that made me the key into destroying the Earth, cannot be accessed if Suho isn't around.'

It was funny in Sehun's eyes, how surprised the demons looked, when Sehun said that. They felt like two kids, caught with their hand stuck in a cookie jar. Obviously this information was something they had missed out on and the pure confusion that seeped in was such a joy for Sehun's heart he could cry out for that alone. 

'But, the curse-' Lu Han, again, was the one butt in. 'The curse was made to keep Suho away from you, because with you he could overtake the Earth, you are the power-'

'I don't have any power for Heavens sake!' Sehun shouted out. 'Suho is the damn Devil, why do you think he needs more power, when he has it all?!'

Confused glances were exchanged and it was obvious none of them understood what was going on. 'Where did you even get that information from?' Sehun finally asked, after the silence had stretched out for too long.

_[A/N: For those, who might have forgotten few chapters. When Sehun had forgotten Suho, he met Lu Han and Kris at the dance studio and they were tagging along Sehun, because they wanted the power that they think Sehun holds (they mentioned this to Chanyeol, who had left Seoul to help Sehun regain his memories), so they could be the ones overtaking the World, and not Suho. If Suho is locked away in Hell, they are the ones to be with Sehun as he channels that power. However, the power they think he has, is the demonic side, that has rubbed on him from Suho, and it doesn't progress if Suho is in Hell or away from Sehun in general.]_

'Chen and Xiumin,' Lu Han finally answered.

'Angels don't lie,' Kris added.

'Angels also shouldn't be talking to demons, don't you think?' Sehun cut the two off. 'They aren't angels.'

It's like realization hit the two of them in a form of a brick to the face. So, now it was obvious, that Chen and Xiumin were working on something in the background, they needed Suho to be locked away from Earth to do it, but these two were the perfect bait to use. 'We got played over,' Lu Han whispered, staring right ahead of himself. Without a word, he turned on his heel and walked back down the empty street. 

Kris sighed. 'The reason he was eager to make this work, is because he had a thing for the Xiumin.'

That was the last straw to break Sehun down. 'I guess they all just played us over and we're the ones wearing the fool hats here.' And, once the crossroads were empty again, he turned on his heel as well, to walk back to his apartment. He didn't cry anymore. He would sleep one more night, and when he woke up in the morning - he won't remember any of the heartache, he would cut his life in two and throw the past away to start on a new, fresh and blank page. 


	24. Lonely Dance

There was a very obvious and uncomfortable silence rising in the room. At least it was for Chanyeol, who was trying to ease himself into this grim setting by sipping on his coffee, that Sehun had brought over to him barely ten minutes earlier. His slurp made him cringe further into his seat. Way too loud against the frozen silence of the apartment.

'So...' he dragged out, placing the still steaming and full cup on the ground besides his feet. 

' _So?_ ' The stare with which Sehun looked at Chanyeol was nothing, but plain dead.

Yes, Chanyeol wanted to ask if there was still not a single sign of Suho, if Sehun was coping alright or if he wanted to just go somewhere and have a wild weekend drinking... _anything_?! However, he was so scared of breaking the younger boy - not a man, Sehun's crumbled state made him resemble a lost boy - that he dared not to ask anything.

Sehun sighed: 'just shoot it, Chanyeol.'

'He's not coming back, is he?'

'No.'

'Are you holding well?'

'No, but yes.'

Chanyeol gritted his teeth. Of course, he wasn't. 'No signs?'

'None?'

'Do you want to go out for drinks?'

Sehun swallowed down another lump and helplessly nodded at the taller male, barely pressing a whisper: ' _yes_.'

Chanyeol tried his best to give his friend a warm smile as he placed the coffee on the table and stood up. It's probably worthless to mention, but even the coffee tasted different than it usually did, when Sehun made it. Which, technically, should not be a thing, because the coffee was, in fact, made by the ridiculously expensive coffee maker Sehun had bought around year and a half ago. Nevertheless, there was a difference in the bitterness. It wasn't bittersweet, as Chanyeol usually described Sehun's coffee, it was bittersour, and he hated that taste, because only bad or even expired coffee tasted that way. So, he had to drag Sehun outside, otherwise they're going to be stuck on bad and gloomy coffee, just as their mood.

'Come on!' He pulled the male up and wrapped an arm around him. 'Let's get you washed up and then we're gonna go walk Vivi! After that - groceries, lunch, a movie and then we'll go out!'

It sounded way too much for Sehun. He really had no idea if he had it himself to last through a day like that. He could just fall on the floor and throw a temper tantrum like a nasty five year old, and it would probably scare Chanyeol enough for him to leave Sehun alone, but he knew it would not be healthy for himself. Just, because he had decided he is going to get over this. He can't forget Suho, obviously, the memories tend to creep up on him whenever they please, but he could make himself hurt less, when they did. One way was by agreeing to whatever Park Chanyeol decided they should do. It's not the worst that can happen. 

Therefore, they did exactly that. We could go on listing, once more, how the soap filled Sehun's bathroom with lavender-scented bubbles and he made a mental note to himself to get some new soap and send the lavender scented legacy to Hell, where and with who it belonged. He also decided, he wanted to dye his hair, a shade of reddish-brown, so that in the dark it seemed brown, but in light his hair would look like dancing fire. He also discarded the towels, which had tinted red from his ex-boyfriends hair. The thought, if they had actually broken up, crossed his mind at that point as well, because - there weren't any direct words, that would really approve his statement. Not that it mattered, Sehun knew he wouldn't get over the demon/man in his life that was Suho. 

After that, the two really did go and walk Vivi, take out the trash as well, which contained the lavender soap and few towels. It was a weird feeling. It really felt like a goodbye or an end of sorts. He really wanted to look at the sky, smile and go: _'maybe it's for the best.'_

Instead, Sehun glared right at the pavement beneath his feet and muttered: _'fuck you.'_

'What was that?' Chanyeol asked, his large eyes peaking from under his black cap. Sehun couldn't keep a look on his eyes tho, because the way Chanyeol's ears folded under the cap made him snort a tiny bit, before he shook his head with the meaning: _'nothing'._

It's good to note that Chanyeol was the one walking Vivi, Sehun had just carelessly put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and called it a day. Autumn was on their doorstep and he really did feel like autumn had also seeped into his heart and taken a good portion into making all the love flowers wither there slowly. 

They also made it to the crossroads, where Sehun had met the two demons not too long ago. A shiver ran down his back upon that memory. He really did not want to think into it, because it meant there was fire somewhere. There was fire, burning loud and mad. He had extinguished the flames closest to him - Lu Han and Kris - but there was some hidden fire, that was slowly burning up everything around him, he just didn't know where and what exactly - Chen and Xiumin. It really was the last thing he wanted to worry about. 

After the walk - again - they just went to the grocery store. The lavender was changed to some bottle of soap that read _'Winter Fresh'_. If Sehun had to describe the scent of winter, he'd say - pain. Because, it just hurt to breathe in too deeply during winter, his nose would hurt from the cold and he'd regret being outside in an instant. They got some stuff for dinner. More specifically, some ramen, veggies, eggs, spices and chicken. For a second they debated if they wanted to go ahead and buy a bottle of beer for each other and start their night out early. That idea was dismissed pretty fast, just as fast as it had appeared. 

And, after that - they cooked lunch. As Chanyeol had promised - the day went by. They cooked, they ate while watching some weird stuff on YouTube, but once it was relatively dark outside - they got on something a bit more alluring and went out.

The bar was filled and they quickly understood, that this evening would go by the bar counter, where the barman would be mixing them drinks of different colours and tastes. At one point, Sehun would spot Kris drinking something amber in colour, with ice, with the corner of his eye and turn his head just as fast. It wasn't anything special, but it was certainly enough to make him slowly, but surely rat out the thought of Suho from his head. He hated to see it end this way, but it was ending. 

A little bit into the night, Kris had joined them, taken a seat right besides Sehun, so the younger was in the middle - between the demon and his elf-eared friend. 

'Where's Lu Han?' Chanyeol asked in a bitter tone as he swished the drink in his glass and took the last bits of it. He then placed it on the counter and started twirling it between his fingers, making this completely annoying and obnoxious sound.

'Where's your boyfriend?'

Well, not that Kris intended to offend Sehun in that sentence too, but he surely succeeded in that. However, the thought, that if he really wanted to get over Suho, he shouldn't be feeling attacked by Kris' words, crossed his mind, and he turned his gaze towards Chanyeol, as of expecting an answer as well.

After there was no answer, Kris just nodded to himself and turned his gaze back on his drink.

'So...' he then attempted another painful second of failed conversation. Seriously, if Sehun was in his place, he wouldn't have even stomped over here to begin with. 

_'So?_ ' The two asked back.

'We're all just gone... like that. Right?'

The second tallest of the three snorted as he found something to agree with this time, something to actually consider right, coming from Kris' mind. 

'Yeah...' he chuckled, 'yeah, we are.'

'What do you plan to do next?' With a nudge of an elbow in Sehun's side, the demon asked. 'I mean, the Devil is gone, like it or not, and we all know how stubborn he is. Chanyeol here has Arae on his shoulders-'

'He left,' the called out male said as he placed the glass down on the black, polished-wooden counter with a thud. 'A day or two after Suho decided it was for the best - so did Baekhyun. I came home and he just wasn't there. That leaves Kyungsoo to be the only one with a happy ending.'

'Imagine,' Sehun snarled, forgetting Kris' presence with them for a while. 'That bastard screwed us all over and he's the one to get some happiness out of it. He probably feels like his mission is accomplished, now that Suho is gone, but he has his knight in shining Hell armor by his side.'

'I have obviously missed a lot of stuff here,' Kris butted in.

'So much stuff.'

'Nevertheless, Sehun, what's next?'

And, he shrugged. He didn't know what he was going for anymore. He knew what he was going to do tho. The best he could - be himself. 'I'll return to dancing, I'll build my career and do it for as many days I have felt. Be it 40 years or 40 days - I'll just do what I know the best.'

'I'll be myself and _leave what's left for the ones who are doomed to come next_.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So!! This is the end of this fanfic! We have three broken men and three gone demons. Yes, Suho isn't coming back, and even tho Sehun's whole purpose was to destroy the curse that kept them apart, Suho couldn't deal with the fact his nature could be affecting his precious Sehun.  
> Therefore, here it ends! With a hope for a future, where the memories will hurt no more! 
> 
> Now, I do have an idea for a continuation for this fic, however, it would be something that people could read without necessarily reading this book, so kinda the same, but different. Let me know if it's anything, that would interest any of you!
> 
> And, last - thank you all for sticking with me through this fic, it has truly been a wonderful adventure and I enjoyed writing this to no end! Thank you for all the wonderful comments, I love every one of them! Let's see again in another fic! Goodbye!


End file.
